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(CNN) -- Shelling hit areas near two key cities in eastern Ukraine on Sunday morning, intensifying fears that a ceasefire that took effect less than two days ago may be falling apart. Why is the ceasefire under strain? A variety of fighting factions in the conflict zone -- on both sides -- may not fall directly under a military chain of command. The pro-Russian rebels are mostly volunteer militias; fighting against them on the Ukrainian side are at least some far-right nationalist militias. Controlling these groups is difficult and some may have different aims, including sabotaging the truce. At this point it's been nearly impossible to figure out who's doing the firing and why. The conditions of the ceasefire agreement don't help either. The conditions are vague and at this point there doesn't seem to be an effective mechanism in place inside the conflict zone to monitor and enforce the agreement. Why can't the two sides' leaders control their forces? It's unclear if Kiev has control over all of the fighting forces in eastern Ukraine. Some of the volunteer militias fighting alongside Ukrainian soldiers are far-right nationalists who've been critical of the current government in Kiev, but they're still fighting because they feel Ukraine is under attack by Russia. And who controls the pro-Russian rebels? Is it the local commanders? Is it Russian President Vladimir Putin? None of that is clear. Which side has the most to gain from the truce? If the truce leads to good-faith negotiations and a compromise, then both sides can gain. A compromise could look like something like this: The pro-Russian region of Donbas gets autonomy and self-determination under a federalized Ukrainian government, and in return the rebels drop their demand for independence and Kiev gets to protect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. There are elements on both sides that don't want a compromise, and they could certainly have the potential of undermining the truce. What happens next? We wait to see if the overnight shellings and firings are an anomaly or if they're a sign of more violence and more fighting. If the ceasefire sticks, both sides have agreed to hold talks that will address the core issues and demands on both sides that are still unresolved -- including the disarming of the rebels, a guarantee of self-determination for the pro-Russian Donbas region, the fate of Russian-annexed Crimea, constitutional reform, and a solution to the humanitarian crisis in the conflict zone. Obviously if the fighting continues, all bets are off. What effect does this have on the rest of the world? What happens in the coming days will determine the next move by NATO and Western leaders. If the ceasefire falls apart, the West will likely turn up the pressure by following through with sanctions and bolstering Western forces in NATO's Baltic-member states. Moscow has already threatened to respond if that happens. The bottom line is, the conflict will escalate and so will the prospects of a regional conflict -- although at this point that seems unlikely.

Shelling in eastern Ukraine raises fears that a ceasefire may fall apart . Reza Sayah: It's been nearly impossible to say who's doing firing and why . It's unclear who has control over fighting forces on either side in east Ukraine . There are elements on both sides that don't want a compromise .

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Killer instincts? Lacey Spears, 26, is pictured with her 5-year-old son Garnett (right) who she's now accused of killing . A New York State mom blogger who gained a widespread following with posts about her son's near-constant health problems could soon be charged in the 5-year-old's suspicious January death. Authorities in Westchester County almost immediately looked to Lacey Spears when her son Garnett died and have since determined the boy died from acute sodium poisoning. Now, a source close to the investigation has revealed that the 26-year-old southern transplant could soon find herself in a New York jail as authorities prepare to press charges in what they've deemed a homicide. 'It's evident by the nature of what was found in his body that somebody, in effect, poisoned him,' the source told FoxNews.com. 'He died at the hands of somebody else.' Should Spears be charged, it will be the culmination of months of speculation over her involvement in the death, the state of her mental health and of her possible motivations. Spears could potentially get charged with anything from murder to negligent homicide or manslaughter. Since her son's death, Spears has fled New York, where the Alabama native lived in a 'fellowship community' of back-to-the-land types, for Kentucky. Her attorney David Sachs denied his client had anything to do with her son's death. 'Lacey is completely devastated by the loss of her son and absolutely denies harming her son in any way,' Sachs told FoxNews.com . Agonizing: The boy died from acute sodium intoxication days after he was rushed to a Westchester County, New York hospital complaining of severe stomach pains . Garnett Spears died at Westchester . Medical Center in January after Spears rushed him to the emergency room . on suffering intense abdominal pains from what appeared to be a stomach . virus. The little boy's condition worsened and he died four days later with what appeared to be dangerously high amounts of sodium in his system - leading investigators to question whether Garnett was deliberately given the salt. Indeed, before he tragically passed away, hospital officials told police that the levels were suspiciously high - which caused the investigation to be opened into the Chestnut Ridge mother. Following this, police sought and obtained a search warrant for her home in mid-January. Suspicious: A neighbor claims Spears asked that he hide one of the many feeding tube bags that she used--unnecessarily many say--to feed Garnett as he lay dying in January . They took food from her home, her cell phone and computer. They have also questioned Lacey Spears' friends and family and obtained Garnett's past medical records after discovering that he had been hospitalized 23-times during his short life. As the investigation continued, a neighbor who asked not to be named told USA Today that as Spears' son lay dying she asked her to go to her home and dispose of one of the boy's feeding bags - which allegedly contained a large amount of sodium. Police have not released why Garnett . had a feeding tube - believed to be in his abdomen - but have pointed to . his history of illness and repeated hospital visits. The . neighbor who asked not to be named said that they did initially remove . the bag - but then phoned the police and turned it over when they heard . about the circumstances surrounding the boys death. Those circumstances, it became clear all too late, were nothing new. The . same questionable parenting and suggestions of the child-harming mental . illness Munchhausen by proxy surrounded Garnett and his mom starting . from just after the boy was born and across the states of Alabama, . Florida and New York. The . Florida Department of Children and Families revealed in April that . they've had a file on Spears since 2011, when an anonymous call voicing . concerns about her parenting was made to their abuse hotline. And . prior to that, in 2009 while the family lived in Alabama, Garnett . suffered severe seizures and had to be flown by helicopter to a Decatur . hospital and resuscitated. The . Journal News reported last month that the Florida agency is sharing all . information they have on the mother with New York authorities. Sad: Garnett was hospitalized more than 23 times during his five years of life and his mother Lacey updated social media to update her followers on her sons progress . Munchausen by proxy, is a psychiatric disorder which makes a parent purposely hurt their child — to get attention. 'It is so counter-intuitive to all our ideas of what parenthood is supposed to be,' said Dr. Marc D. Feldman who has written extensively about Munchausen syndrome. 'But medical child abuse can and does occur.' Feldmen told USA Today that this case has at least four distinct red-flags for him that indicate the possibility of abuse. 1) Garnett had a feeding tube for unknown reasons. In case of Munchausen by proxy the child will be sick enough to have a feeding tube or intravenous line that gives the abuser access to the body internally. 'That's an avenue for medical chaos,' Feldman said. 'A feeding tube is a real red flag.' 2) It is almost physically impossible to ingest or force feed a lethal does of salt. However, introducing it over time through a feeding tube is possible. 3) Feldman points out that those with Munchausen often exhibit pseudologia fantastica — compulsive lying - Spears told lies about her partner and about being a mother . 4) Exaggerated stories of their child being ill is another symptom - and in this case Spears obsessively detailed her child's illnesses online . People with the condition also have borderline personality disorder, a psychiatric condition marked by problems with impulsive and reckless behavior, leading to unstable relationships. Signs of Munchausen by proxy can include: .

Suspicion has rested almost solely on Lacey Spears since the January death of her little boy Garnett . A source now says authorities in Westchester County, New York have deemed the boy's death a homicide by sodium poisoning . Spears could now face charges ranging from murder to manslaughter or negligent homicide . Spears allegedly asked a neighbor to dispose of one of the many stomach feeding bags she claimed her son needed as he lay dying .

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Ed Miliband pitched Labour into disarray on the economy and welfare yesterday when he was unable to answer basic questions about his party’s policies. The Labour leader’s performance in a radio interview was described as ‘a car crash’ and ‘a Milishambles’. Mr Miliband refused on ten occasions to admit that his party would increase government borrowing, despite outlining plans that would require more than £28billion of borrowing. Labour leader Ed Miliband, pictured campaigning in Worcester, refused to admit he would be borrowing more if he was in power . He then revealed that Labour’s policy review would investigate whether . to axe universal benefits for pensioners such as the winter fuel . allowance and free bus and television licences. His aides were later forced to insist that they would stay. The Labour leader lost his temper in an interview with Martha Kearney, host of Radio 4’s World at One. At one point, he snapped ‘You don’t understand’ to Miss Kearney as she . pressed him on Labour’s position on the economy – while failing to spell . out what it is. The interview came as Mr Miliband unveiled Labour’s alternative Queen’s . Speech, which repeated the party’s pledge to bring in a temporary VAT . cut to 17.5 per cent, which would cost £13 billion. Labour published an Alternative Queen's Speech today, but the Tories suggested it contained £28.1billion in unfunded spending promises . It also outlined . pledges to reintroduce the 10p tax rate, at a cost of £7.3billion paid . for with a mansion tax that would only raise £2billion. The Tories claim . there is a £28billion black hole in the plans. Borrowing fell only slightly last year to £120.6billion, just £300million lower than in 2011-12. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has previously admitted that Labour would . have to raise borrowing in an attempt to foster economic growth, in the . hope that means borrowing can be cut later. But Mr Miliband flatly . refused to admit that borrowing would increase, angrily dodging ten . different questions on the subject. Asked whether he thinks the Government needs to borrow more now, Mr . Miliband said: ‘No, well [what] I would say is that we need to get . borrowing down.’ Pressed again, he added: ‘I don’t accept that borrowing . would be higher under a Labour government because borrowing would be . lower over the medium term.’ Asked to agree with Mr Balls that borrowing would rise in the short-term he refused. Tory MP Brooks Newmark branded Mr Miliband’s performance ‘a . Milishambles’, while the Liberal Democrat press office tweeted that it . was ‘a car crash’. Tory Party chairman Grant Shapps said: ‘Ed Miliband is too weak to admit . what his Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, has already said: that Labour’s . plans mean more spending, more borrowing and more debt, exactly how . Labour got us into this mess in the first place.’ The grilling of Ed Miliband by Radio 4’s World at One presenter Martha Kearney was described as a ‘car crash’ interview. Here is an edited transcript:MK: Would it be fair to say, looking at your plans overall, that you think that the Government needs to borrow more now and that’s in order to boost growth in the economy.EM: No, well [what] I would say is that we need to get borrowing down.MK: In order to produce more growth, if you were PM at the moment you would be spending and borrowing more wouldn’t you? EM: Well I don’t accept that borrowing would be higher under Labour… because borrowing would be lower over the medium term.MK: When Ed Balls was asked about this very question he was more open. He answered it. When he was asked if he would borrow more if he were chancellor he said now and I quote ‘that is what I would do right now’.EM: Look the Government is cutting too far and too fast. Ed Balls is absolutely right about that.MK: All I am asking you is to explain how you are going to boost growth and that is by spending more and that is by borrowing more if you were PM at the moment, straight answer to that? EM: Well I am giving you a very straight answer. I think borrowing would be lower under a Labour government over the medium term.MK: In the medium term, but I am asking you what you would do right now? If I made you PM right now.EM: What we would do right now is the five-point plan for growth and jobs. A VAT cut which I think would get our economy moving.MK: [That] Wouldn’t contribute to growth tomorrow. If you were PM now cut VAT for a year you are going to spend £12billion and you hope you will get the money back in the medium term but you don’t know that. So you will have to borrow more wouldn’t you?EM: No you don’t understand Martha, I don’t think you are quite accepting this point. Why has George Osborne’s borrowing gone from nought to £61billion? Why do you think that is? MK: I’m asking you about your plans....EM: No, no, but it’s very relevant.MK: I want to ask you....EM: But it’s very relevant. It’s very relevant to this point.MK: I understand you want to change the subject.EM: I am not changing the subject at all...

Labour leader under pressure over expensive spending promises . VAT cuts, housing pledges and jobs guarantees ramp up costs . Tories say Labour's economic policy is 'in a mess'

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By . Andrew Young . PUBLISHED: . 19:06 EST, 7 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:06 EST, 7 December 2013 . Scores of grey seal pups are feared to have died after being swept from beaches by last week’s devastating surge tide. The National Trust confirmed that 263 pups were reported missing on Thursday night from a breeding colony at Horsey Gap, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. A rescue operation is under way after about 190 of the pups were washed up alive on nearby beaches, along with the bodies of several others. The rest are feared drowned. An unknown number of pups are also missing from the National Trust reserve at Blakeney Point in north Norfolk, along with 20 from an offshore colony at Scroby Sands, near Great Yarmouth. Tragedy: A dead seal pup washed up on Heacham beach in Norfolk after being swept from a breeding colony by strong tides . The RSPCA rescue centre at East Winch, near King’s Lynn, took in 17 pups on Friday and 20 more yesterday – on top of the 50 it was already looking after. An RSPCA spokesman said: ‘We are concerned about the pups as it is the height of the pupping season and they are vulnerable. Our inspectors are patrolling beaches between Great Yarmouth and Cromer and responding to reports of seals that have washed up. We are taking them in if they are distressed or injured.’ Eilish Rothney of the Friends of Horsey Seals said 130 of the 190 pups that had washed up were under three weeks old and needed their mothers’ milk. She said: ‘It is possible many of them might die.’ A National Trust spokesman said seal pups washed up on beaches should only be approached by wildlife experts from approved groups or RSPCA staff. Survivor: One of the lucky survivors pictured on a beach in Norfolk after the strong tides . Many of the pups that have been rescued are less than three weeks old and still need to be fed by their mothers . The spokesman said: ‘Please do not attempt to move them or encourage them to return to the sea.’ Meanwhile, it has emerged that residents who ignored warnings to evacuate seaside homes at risk of flooding last week were asked to sign disclaimer forms by police. The forms stated that anyone who signed accepted that they were putting themselves at risk from sea water ‘up to a depth of three metres’ by staying in their homes. A clause added that emergency services would be ‘stretched to their capacity’ in the event of flooding, meaning people might not be rescued until waters had subsided. More than 1,000 residents of Jaywick, near Clacton, Essex, were asked to sign after refusing to evacuate on Thursday. Men take pictures of a seal pup as they try to move it away away from a house which fell into the sea during a storm surge in Hemsby, eastern England . This photograph shows the mass flooding experienced across north Lincolnshire following high tides . One villager said: ‘I got the impression they wanted me to sign as  they were worried about being sued if I drowned.’ In the event, the water was kept back by the sea wall at Jaywick when the surge tide struck in the early hours of Friday and no homes were flooded. An Essex Police spokesman confirmed leaflets were handed out in Jaywick but added: ‘It was not done to absolve emergency services of responsibility should the occupants have got into difficulty.’ A clean-up operation was still under way yesterday after 1,400 homes and businesses around Britain were flooded. One of the worst affected areas was Boston, Lincolnshire, where 300 homes were flooded. Five clifftop bungalows were washed away at Hemsby, near Great Yarmouth. The Environment Agency said damage had been minimised by improved flood defences, protecting at least 800,000 homes. Workers assess the damage caused by the sea surge to Scarborough Foreshore, at North Bay, in Scarborugh . Devastation: The Cromer seafront was left strewn with twisted railings and lumps of concrete after the storm surge .

Seal pups were swept away from a breeding colony at Horsey Gap, Norfolk . About 190 of the pups were washed up alive on nearby beaches . More than 80 are being cared for at the RSPCA rescue centre at East Winch . Several pups were found dead and the rest are feared drowned .

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Lawyers for the captain of the capsized Costa Concordia have made a last-ditch appeal, asking the Italian court trying him for the 2012 shipwreck to consider errors of other crew, not just his conduct. The court in Grosseto will soon deliberate the fate of Francesco Schettino, who is charged with manslaughter in the deaths of 32 people, abandoning ship before all of the 4,200 passengers and crew were evacuated, and causing the shipwreck. The Concordia smashed into a reef when sailing too close to Giglio Island, causing the vessel the capsize. Schettino's lawyers have denied that their client acted like a 'reckless idiot'. Survivors have previously spoken of their shock of seeing the skipper - who has been dubbed 'Captain Coward' - standing on the shore after the disaster without even getting his feet wet. Scroll down for video . Plea: Lawyers for Francesco Schettino (pictured arriving in Grosseto this morning) have made a last-ditch appeal for the court trying him for the 2012 shipwreck to consider errors of other crew, not just his conduct . Awaiting his fate: Schettino is pictured arriving at the courthouse in Grosseto, Tuscany this morning . Claim: The Concordia smashed into a reef when sailing too close to Giglio Island. Lawyers for Francesco Schettino (pictured in court earlier in the trial) have denied that their client acted like a 'reckless idiot' This morning lawyer Donato Laino says prosecutors built their case 'around one person, not the facts', adding that Mr Schettino believes he is being made a scapegoat for wider failings. Schettino faces up to 26 years in prison on charges of causing the shipwreck, with the Grosseto court handing potentially down a verdict as early as this evening. Investigators have severely criticised his handling of the disaster, accusing him of bringing the 290 metre-long vessel too close to shore when it struck rocks off the Tuscan island of Giglio, tearing a hole in its side and setting off a chaotic night evacuation of more than 4,000 passengers and crew. He has also been accused of delaying evacuation and losing control of the operation during which he abandoned ship before all the 4,200 passengers and crew had been rescued. Prosecutors have asked for a sentence of 26 years in prison for Schettino, who has admitted some responsibility as captain of the ship but denies blame for deaths that occurred during evacuation. This morning he was left alone in the dock to answer for the disaster after the ship's owners Costa Cruises, a unit of Carnival Corp, paid a €1 million fine to settle. Prosecutors also accepted plea bargains from five other officials, none of whom were jailed. Moniker: Survivors have previously spoken of their shock of seeing Francesco Schettino (pictured) - who has been dubbed 'Captain Coward'- standing on the shore after the disaster without even getting his feet wet . Disaster: The wreck of the Costa Concordia lying on its side after it smashed into a reef near Giglio Island, with 32 people on board losing their lives . The Costa Concordia wreck was one of the highest-profile shipping disasters of recent years, leaving the massive hulk abandoned on its side for two-and-a-half years before it was towed away in the most expensive maritime wreck recovery in history. Schettino's defence team argued he prevented an even worse disaster by steering the ship close to the island as it sank. They say the sentence sought by prosecutors goes beyond even sentences sought for mafia killers. 'I believe and hope that the court will be able to establish the fact that the deaths happened after the impact,' his lawyer Domenico Pepe told reporters. Schettino, a distinctive figure with his sharp suits and pomaded hair, has been a constant presence throughout the trial in a makeshift courtroom set up in a theatre in Grosseto. Questions have also been asked about the safety procedures and the wider responsibilities of ship operators Carnival. Giuliano Leuzzi, a lawyer representing consumer organisation Codacons, a civil party in the case said: 'We need to establish the real responsibilities and each party should take responsibility for their share.'

Lawyers for Francesco Schettino make last-ditch appeal in Italian court . Have asked court to consider errors made by crew in causing the disaster . Schettino is charged with manslaughter of 32 people and causing crash . Also accused of abandoning ship before 4,200 on board were evacuated . Verdict could be given today, with skipper facing up to 26 years in prison .

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(CNN) -- Remember when oil giant BP paid billions of dollars to clean up its own mess from the 2010 Gulf oil spill? Then the company agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay an unprecedented $4 billion fine for the spill. In the latest development, Wednesday, BP was essentially told to stand in the corner when it comes to winning new federal contracts -- a potentially huge blow to the company's bottom line. And it's still likely on the hook for civil penalties the federal government hopes to recover for environmental damages. So, is BP being punished enough for the deadly and destructive Deepwater Horizon spill, or too much? It depends on who you ask. This matters. BP says it supports nearly a quarter of a million American jobs and has invested $52 billion in the United States since 2007. Experts suggest punishments ranging from massive fines to banning the company from offshore drilling. However this all shakes out, it likely will send a powerful message to the industry. Families of killed rig workers react to BP settlement . First, here's what happened Wednesday: . The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it will block BP from new government contracts due to its "lack of business integrity" stemming from the 2010 explosion and oil spill. It was a tragedy that killed 11 oil workers and dumped 205 million gallons of oil into the Gulf in a slow-moving, 85-day national drama that prosecutors called the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. This month hasn't been good to BP. The decision follows the London-based company's agreement November 15 to plead guilty to criminal charges including manslaughter, obstruction of Congress and environmental violations related to the explosion and spill -- an agreement that still requires a judge's approval. What it means . Wednesday's EPA decision means BP won't be allowed to compete for new contracts, grants or other business until the company shows it meets federal business standards. As of February, BP had $9 billion in contracts to supply the U.S. government with fuel, most of it destined for military users, said Christine Tiscareno, a London-based analyst with S&P Capital IQ. Those contracts aren't affected by the EPA decision, the agency said. BP said it's already filed paperwork to get back in good graces with the EPA, said the agency is already preparing an administrative agreement to lift the suspension and highlighted what the company says it's done to rectify the situation. "As BP's submissions to the EPA have made clear, the company has made significant enhancements since the accident," the company said in a statement. "The company launched an internal investigation immediately after the accident, publicly released the results, and has been implementing all 26 of the investigation's recommendations." What's ahead . The next big step in the case comes in February, when a civil trial is expected to begin over the government's demand for civil damages under the Clean Water Act. That case could draw huge new fines for the company. The disaster, in addition to claiming 11 lives, caused disruption to countless residents and businesses, many of whom counted on the Gulf for their livelihoods, whether in the oil fields, fishing grounds or tourist beaches. For some, including environmentalists, the company couldn't be fined enough or spend enough money to get back on their good side. "Well, you know, we're discussing the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history," said Matt Dundas, acting campaign director at the environmental group Oceana. "The punishment needs to fit the crime." But, he said, the record $4 billion fine BP is expected to pay as a result of the criminal case is a tenth of the maximum it could have faced, making it small consolation to BP's harshest critics. The fine, while a record for the U.S. justice system, represents less than three months worth of profits for BP. The company reported $5.2 billion in profits in the quarter that ended September 30. Dundas is now rooting for the maximum possible verdict in the civil case -- $50 billion in fines. But he says there's only one punishment that would really get BP and other oil companies to sit up and take steps to prevent what Dundas says is the overwhelming risk of another large oil spill: being kicked out of the game entirely. "I think a terrific minimum would be to bar them from offshore drilling," he said. "That's really the only standard that's going to get oil companies to pay attention." The head of a trade association representing BP and other oil and gas operators in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico said Wednesday that BP has already complied with government requirements. "BP has done everything that the federal government has asked and more. ... This new EPA designation is another layer," said Chris John, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. "How much is enough, when the economy in America is trying to dig out of the recession, and energy ... is a very important component to getting Americans back to work?" The EPA's decision could have a negative impact beyond BP, he said, affecting other companies in the industry who have also complied with regulators. "The companies that operate out in the Gulf of Mexico, they can go anywhere, they're global. They can drill anywhere in the world," John said. "They have chosen to come back to the Gulf in the past few years. ... This additional statement and designation by the EPA has to play into their decision of where to put their capital." BP didn't directly address whether it believes it has paid enough for the disaster, but noted Wednesday that it has spent $14 billion in response and cleanup costs, $1 million on restoration projects and $9 billion in compensation and expects to spend $7.8 billion more to resolve the majority of outstanding claims. Owning up . The company also pointed out it has acknowledged criminal responsibility, carried out recommendations made by investigators who studied the incident and has taken actions to strengthen safety and drilling standards that exceed federal regulations. Tiscareno, the oil analyst, said that while the costs to BP have been steep, they are bearable for the company. The big question is what happens in February, when the civil case goes to trial. Tiscareno said she expects BP, which has taken a long-term approach to recovering from the spill, will recover financially unless the civil trial nets an "irrational" decision. A huge verdict could pose problems for BP, Tiscareno said, but she said the government can't go too far in gutting the firm because of all the jobs and tax revenues the company provides. BP has invested $52 billion in the U.S. in the last five years, employs 23,000 U.S. residents and indirectly supports nearly 250,000 jobs, the company said Wednesday. "The U.S. needs BP as much as BP needs the U.S.," Tiscareno said. CNN's Kendra Wates and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report.

NEW: Trade association: "BP has done everything that the federal government has asked" Two years after the oil spill, experts weigh in on possible punishments for BP . BP says it expects the temporary ban will be lifted soon . The EPA says the oil giant showed a "lack of business integrity"

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Many RBS customers were left seething today after a glitch left them unable to use their credit or debit cards at store checkouts and ATMs. The issue, which comes just one day after the bank was fined £56million for a huge IT meltdown in 2012, also affected those with sister banks NatWest and Ulster Bank. An RBS spokesman insisted the issue only affected those attempting to make higher-value payments or transactions abroad - resulting in 'minimal customer impact'. Scroll down for video . Many Royal Bank of Scotland customers were left seething today after a glitch left them unable to use their cards at store checkouts and ATMs . But many customers vented their fury on Twitter over the glitch - slamming RBS as 'pathetic' and a 'bunch of clowns' on the bank's helpline page. One frustrated customer asked the bank: 'When can we expect a resolution to the card issue? Trying to book an emergency flight home and this is extremely time sensitive.' Another complained on Natwest's website of payments failing to be processed. The customer wrote: 'Did a Tesco shop yesterday, everything went through. Advised this morning by Tesco that the payment did not go through.' The customer, who described the situation as 'very poor', said they had been told by the bank that an issue was affecting a number of Visa debit card customers. Another customer, who registered his complaint on Twitter, said: 'Debit card transactions not working! When is this going to be resolved? Pathetic.' Frustration: Customers vented their fury on Twiiter this morning after finding themselves unable to use their cards at ATMs and in stores . RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton has said that since the 2012 IT crash, which cost the firm a £56million fine yesterday, the bank has spent hundreds of millions of pounds on increasing the resilience of its systems . The problems started at 7.45am and were resolved by 9.15am, the bank said. A statement from RBS said: 'A small number of customers experienced issues early this morning while using their RBS, NatWest and Ulster Visa debit and credit cards. 'There was minimal customer impact and the issue was quickly resolved.' Yesterday, the bank was landed with penalties totalling £56million by regulators over its huge systems crash in 2012, which also affected customers of RBS, NatWest and Ulster Bank. Former chief executive Stephen Hester forfeited his bonus of up to £2.4million over the 2012 IT fiasco at a bank which is still 81 per cent owned by the taxpayer . RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton has said that since the incident, the bank has spent hundreds of millions of pounds on increasing the resilience of its IT systems. RBS admitted to 'unacceptable weaknesses' in its computer systems as around 6.5 million customers - equivalent to 10% of the UK population - suffered disruption lasting for several weeks in some cases. RBS bosses admitted previously they had failed to invest enough in their IT systems for decades, following a computer meltdown that hit millions of customers. The extraordinary admission a after a string of glitches where millions of debit card cash withdrawals and purchases, some credit card transactions, plus online banking and banking via mobile phone, were blocked. RBS chief executive Ross McEwan said the most recent systems failure was ‘unacceptable’, and admitted: ‘For decades, RBS failed to invest properly in its systems. We know we have to do better.’ In 2012 a junior technician in India was blamed for causing the RBS computer meltdown which froze millions of British bank accounts. But it later emerged it came from their Edinburgh headquarters. They were unable to use online banking facilities or obtain accurate account balances from ATMs. Mortgage payments were delayed and customers left without cash in foreign countries. The issues in summer 2012 stemmed from a botched upgrade to the software that processed updates to customers' accounts overnight. When it noticed problems with the upgrade the bank's central IT function decided to uninstall it without first testing the consequences of that action. The bank is investigating the underlying cause of today's problems, which it said are unrelated to the meltdown of two years ago. The IT meltdown fine came just days after RBS was one of six banks fined £2.6billion for rigging the £3trillion a day foreign exchange market. The bank was hit with a £400million penalty by UK and US regulators, with regulators publishing damning transcripts of its traders bragging about the conspiracy. The IT failure has raised concerns about the state backed lender’s creaking computer systems which have continued to let down customers in recent years. RBS suffered another systems outage in December on the busiest online shopping day of the year, the third time in about 18 months that such a problem had prevented customers from using cards, cash machines and online banking services. It says it has been ploughing billions of pounds into bolstering its IT systems to help ensure that similar problems do not reoccur. The lender recently pledged to invest an extra £1billion in its digital and IT services as it attempts to persuade more of its customers to bank online and on their mobile phones. Before the 2008 financial crisis, Royal Bank of Scotland was one of the largest and most aggressive banks in the world. The bank was founded in Edinburgh in 1727, but by the end of the 20th century it was a major player in the City of London too as the UK capital became the world's leading financial centre. RBS sealed its place at the top table of British banking in 2000 when it bought NatWest, which dates back to 1650 and was considered one of the 'Big Four' retail banks in the UK. Fred Goodwin, right, became chief executive of RBS the following year and pioneered a gung-ho expansion strategy with resources poured into its investment banking division. One of the biggest deals came when RBS joined a consortium to buy Dutch bank ABN Amro for £49billion, which was later revealed as a major overvaluation. With the advent of the 2007 credit crunch and subsequent global financial turmoil, RBS was exposed as being dangerously indebted and unable to meet its obligations. The Labour Government felt it had no option but to step in, and in October 2008 it took a 57 per cent stake in the bank in return for £37billion of new capital. As the bank's losses spiralled and it required even more bail-out money, the state share of the firm rose to 82 per cent. Much of the blame for RBS's troubles was attributed to Goodwin, who was forced to resign and subsequently stripped of the knighthood he had received in 2004. But it has repeatedly denied reports that the problems in the summer of 2012 were caused by workers in the Indian city of Hyderabad, where it set up an IT support centre to cut costs. The results of its internal investigation into the source of the failure have yet to be published as it waits for the FCA’s verdict. Last night one expert suggested RBS has escaped lightly. David Buik from broker Panmure Gordon said: ‘Given the size of the trangression and the damage caused to customers this fine is nothing more than symbolic. We are talking about a bank which could not even get the basics right - stuff that affects people in their day to day life. It’s little wonder there is a complete lack of trust between banks and their customers.’

Today's glitch left thousands struggling to use cards at ATMs and in stores . Bank says problem had 'minimal customer impact' and only affected a few . But customers blasted problem on Twitter as 'pathetic' and 'very poor' Yesterday bank was forced to pay hefty fine for its 2012 IT meltdown . Also recently hit with £400million penalty for part in Libor-fixing scandal .

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Barack Obama's Pastor-in-Chief has revealed how the President comforted Sandy Hook victims' families in the days after last year's elementary school massacre. 'The president took a deep breath and . steeled himself, and went into the first classroom. And what happened next I will never forget,' Joshua DuBois, who joined the U.S. President in Newtown, Connecticut, said. 'Person . after person received an engulfing hug from our commander in chief. He’d say, 'Tell me about your son. . . . Tell me about your daughter', . and then hold pictures of the lost beloved as their parents described . favorite foods, television shows, and the sound of their laughter.' Spiritual guide: Joshua DuBois, Barack Obama's 'Pastor-in-Chief', has revealed in a new book how the U.S. President comforted families of Sandy Hook victims . Devastating: Mourner Jeanne Walker of Newtown walks through an overflowing memorial to the shooting victims in the Sandy Hook village of Newtown, Connecticut . Dubois has shared Obama's 'secret' tender moments with the devastated families in his new book, The President's Devotional: The Daily Readings That Inspired President Obama. The day after the 14 December shooting, in which 26 people were gunned down by 20-year-old Adam Lanza, Obama asked Dubois to accompany him to Newtown to meet with victims' families. Before Dubois left, FBI officials briefed him on the horrors of the massacre, including that the children were lined up and executed. 'How the gunman treated the children like criminals, lining them up to shoot them down,' Dubois wrote, according to Huffington Post. 'How so many bullets penetrated them that many were left unrecognizable. 'How the killer went from one classroom to another and would have gone farther if his rifle would’ve let him.' Survivors: Connecticut State Police lead a line of children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School after the massacre which claimed the lives of 26 people . Tragic: Adam Lanza opened fire on staff and students at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012 . Adam Lanza, 20, killed his mother at their home and then opened fire inside the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, killing 26 people, including 20 children, before taking his own life . When Obama arrived at Newtown High School where the meetings would take place, he was briefed on the circumstances of each family. He then took a deep breath, and met with each grieving family in various classrooms over several hours and asked them to tell him their story. 'For . the younger siblings of those who had passed away—many of them two, . three, or four years old, too young to understand it all—the president . would grab them and toss them, laughing, up into the air, and then hand . them a box of White House M&M’s, which were always kept close at . hand,' Dubois wrote. 'In each room, I saw his eyes water, but he did not break...Even a president’s comfort was woefully inadequate for these families in the face of this particularly unspeakable loss. 'But it became some small measure of love, on a weekend when evil reigned. 'And the funny thing is—President Obama has never spoken about these meetings...It must have been one of the defining moments of his presidency, quiet hours in solemn classrooms, extending as much healing as was in his power to extend. But he kept it to himself.' Tender: U.S. President Barack Obama embraces family members of slain Sandy Hook Elementary School students at the White House . Mark Barden, the father of a victim at Sandy Hook Elementary School, joins U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss gun violence .

Obama's chief pastor, Joshua Dubois, reveals how the President personally comforted the families of Sandy Hook victims in Connecticut . He says in his new book that Obama hugged the families, listened to their stories and gave the victims' young siblings a box of White House M&M's . Dubois also reveals gunman Adam Lanza lined up the children like criminals before shooting them .

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Adel Taarabt appeared for QPR for the first time since his public fall-out with Harry Redknapp in Monday afternoon's reserve game against Ipswich Town. The Moroccan's days at Loftus Road appeared to be numbered after his extraordinary spat with Redknapp last month. Taarabt claimed his manager never takes a training session after Redknapp had accused the midfielder of being 'three stone overweight' following the 3-2 defeat to Liverpool. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Harry Redknapp say Taarabt's camp have told blatant lies . Adel Taarabt has played just three first-team games for QPR this season after returning from loan at AC Milan . Taarabt laughed off claims by QPR manager Harry Redknapp that the midfielder was 'three stone overweight' The 25-year-old was due to play for the club's Under 21s last week, but wasn't included in the draw against Swansea. However, Taarabt came through 90 minutes in the 3-0 win against Ipswich Town as he tries to prove his fitness to his boss. The former Spurs man, who has been hampered by an ankle injury, has been limited to just three appearances for the R's this season after returning from a loan spell at AC Milan. Taarabt hit back at Redknapp during an exclusive interview with Sportsmail last month . Taarabt spent last campaign on loan at Fulham and then Serie A side AC Milan .

Moroccan played 90 minutes for Under 21s in 3-0 win against Ipswich Town . Taarabt has made just three first-team appearances for the R's this season . Midfielder was accused of being 'overweight' by manager Harry Redknapp . Taarabt hit back and claimed Redknapp never took training sessions .

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By . Wills Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 11:14 EST, 6 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:19 EST, 6 March 2014 . Members of the feminist punk group Pussy Riot have been attacked by a gang of men inside a Russian McDonalds. Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyokhina were covered in paint while they sat and had breakfast in the city of Nizhny Novgorod. The pair, who were jailed for hooliganism in 2012, also had pepper spray, green antispetic and metal thrown in their faces during the assault. Scroll down for video . Attacked: Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyokhina were covered in paint during the assault while they sat and had breakfast in the city of Nizhny Novgorod . Distressed: The pair spoke directly into the camera after the incident . They were visiting the area to inspect a local prison with Peter Verzilov and members of NGO 'Zone of the Rights'. Tolonnikova allegedly left the restaurant with a 'cut forehead' and the group have complained to the police. She was seen getting up from her seat and clutching her face during the incident. while the gang of men continually shouted abuse. When the attack eventually stopped, one of the men held up a sign to the camera while another was seen shouting down the lens. At around 7.00 am the group barged into the fast food restaurant where the musicians and their crew were eating. Gang: They were covered in paint, antiseptic and pepper spray by the group of men . Prolonged: The gang shouted abuse while they continued to launch the liquids at the members of the feminist band . Close: One of the attackers faced up to Nadya Tolokonnikova, preparing to throw something at her . Abuse: The individuals continued to shout at the musicians while a crowd built up behind them . It is not the first time the group have been targeted by members of the public. At the start of the Sochi winter . Olympics, members of the group were whipped and tackled to the ground by Cossacks as . they sang in protest. The . band started to perform an anti-Putin song under a sign advertising the . Winter Olympics. But singer Tolokonnikova was brutally whipped . in the attack and the guitarist was left bloodied and bruised. Last month, Tolokonnikova was filmed saying the anti-government protests in Ukraine were an 'inspiation'. She was also among those arrested during protests outside a Moscow courthouse. Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina were released from seperate prisons on December 23, 2013 after the Russian State Duma approved an amnesty. Speech: An attacker spoke into a camera owned by the NGO 'Zone of the Rights' in the aftermath of the assault . Slogan: One man holds up a sign to the camera before the group leave the restaurant .

Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyokhina were also pepper sprayed . The pair were in city of Nizhny Novgorod visiting a local prison . Alyokhina reportedly left the fast food restaurant with a 'cut forehead'

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England can still win the 2015 World Cup but the right lessons need to be learned from this tour — and there needs to be fundamental changes in the way we play which will have a considerable knock-on effect on selection. What we saw in the first half in Hamilton last night only reinforced what we witnessed in third quarter in Dunedin last week. Head coach Stuart Lancaster faces some major decisions, but the clock is not his friend. He has one huge factor in his favour and that is ‘home’ advantage. But even that will be lost unless some real soul-searching is carried out ... and quickly. Whitewash: England were on the end of a 3-0 series defeat against New Zealand . Job on his hands: Stuart Lancaster has got work to do if England want to win the World Cup on home soil next year . Is he content for England to be competitive in 2015 — and with home advantage they will definitely be that — or is he prepared to aim for the ultimate and change the way his team plays? My worry is that there is already talk about winning in 2019, and to look that far ahead is nonsense . Quite simply, England are not quick enough man for man and as a collective at the very highest level. Everybody in the All Blacks’ back division has pace and poses a massive threat individually and in unison, whereas England yesterday only had Marland Yarde and Ben Youngs firing any bullets in the 36-13 defeat. And then Kieran Read, Richie McCaw and Jerome Kaino in the backrow looked a yard quicker than the England trio throughout the game. Pace is absolutely everything at this level — you are not going to bully yourself to victory against the top southern hemisphere teams. Talk about a decent second half is misguided. That was a really disappointing England performance, much more than a bad day at the office. That was a step backwards and the gulf in class was alarming. Yet, so too was the way in which the game was played and that must come down to Lancaster and his coaching staff. Nor do I want to hear any more about the England rugby culture and values. Quickstep: Kieran Read was one of New Zealand's star performers during the match . Paceman: Marland Yarde was one of the few players offering England a threat of pace . That has to be an absolute ‘given’ and to me the values have always been there despite the highly publicised issues at the last World Cup. A great rugby culture isn’t going to win you a World Cup, although its absence can lose you a tournament. South Africa, Australia and especially New Zealand have all five-star rugby cultures themselves; ask any Kiwi what the shirt means in New Zealand. What can really win England the World Cup is world-class coaching and selection, followed by execution by the players. So the core question is this: Do England continue to go down the current path or do they change before it’s too late? Do England stick with a big strong pack, but at this level a yard short of pace, augmented by big strong backs and an international class goal-kicker? Or do they look for a much more dynamic and adaptable game plan with pace throughout the team to prize open opposition defences. To me, this is not a gamble but a necessity for the growth of the game in England. It has to be the latter. It doesn’t matter how big and powerful you are because New Zealand and South Africa will simply knock you over. For me, Manu Tuilagi is potentially a great player but his physicality is nothing special when you play against these guys. He didn’t look in the same league as the Ma’a Nonu and Malakai Fekitoa yesterday. England would get so much more out of him if they developed his passing game and used him as a decoy rather than just a battering ram. He has to be much more than that. He could yet play inside centre if they adopted a game plan that brings out those skills. We saw a brilliant off-load from him to create a try for Chris Ashton last week. You will see the best of Manu when you have the likes of Danny Cipriani at fly-half and Anthony Watson adding his pace and X-factor on the right wing. Yarde will be much more effective if he has like-minded attacking players in support and we will then begin to see the best of Mike Brown again as an attacking force. The more pace and invention, the better. Players will  feed off each other and become even more dangerous. Potential: Manu Tuilagi has what it takes to be a great player . Invetion: Mike Brown tackled by two New Zealand players during the match . Just look at New Zealand. If England take that route then they must change the composition of the backrow. It’s just too slow if you are going to play at the sort of pace I am talking about. But if they decide that type of game is beyond them then Lancaster’s current selection is perfect. Against the very best you just can’t have Tom Wood and Billy Vunipola starting together. Which brings us back to an issue that will not go away — Steffon Armitage. He has to be included because he is the best natural openside England have and the artificial circumstances of his non-selection are ridiculous. I would move Chris Robshaw to No 8 and bring in a fit-again Tom Croft at blindside wing forward for the first game of the autumn, which just happens to be against New  Zealand at Twickenham. England aren’t a million miles away and they looked very tired at an end of a long season playing in the toughest of rugby environments. The players we need have been knocking around for a while. We just haven’t had them on the pitch at the same time, with everybody singing from the same hymn sheet. Selection headache: Steffon Armitage must start for England in the future, believes Woodward . Deflated: Tom Wood (left) and Ben Morgan reflect on their defeat . England have some serious thinking to do and, while the focus must be firmly on the future, I would demand a special meeting with the RFU if I was Lancaster and make it clear that they have badly let him and English rugby down. In fact he should have made that clear a year ago when the end-of-season farce became apparent. It is utterly unacceptable that England embark on a three-match Test series against the world champions on their own patch with almost half his first-choice players unavailable because of club commitments. There can be no debate on this. Such a cock-up must never happen again. Those absentees had a huge knock-on effect and led to selection  confusion. The First Test is vital and if England had arrived with their ‘Gun’ team, fully prepared and raring to go, they would probably have won and the series might have been unfolded differently. England were ambushed and what followed has been a huge wake-up call. All is not lost — but it is now decision time. My team for England's next test (vs New Zealand on November 8):Backs: 15 Brown, 14 Watson, 13 Burrell ,12 Tuilagi, 11 Yarde, 10 Cipriani, 9 CareForwards: 1 Corbisiero, 2 Hartley, 3 Cole, 4 Launchbury, 5 Lawes, 6 Croft, 7 Armitage, 8 Robshaw (c)

England can still win 2015 World Cup, according to Sir Clive Woodward . But lessons must be learned from disappointing tour of New Zealand . Stuart Lancaster's side lost the series 3-0 with 36-13 defeat in final Test . Woodward believes England coach was given impossible job on the tour .

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By . Sarah Michael . and Sarah Dean . A young dance troupe were stranded on a hot plane on the tarmac for hours and eventually forced to sleep in a storeroom by hotel staff after their Qantas flight from Los Angeles to Sydney was delayed. Dance teacher Marianne Howard and the 19 performers she is chaperoning, aged 12-21, were subjected to a long ordeal which saw them stuck on a plane at LAX airport with no food, water or air con before being told their flight was cancelled, she has claimed. The dance troupe from Village Performing Arts Centre in Sydney had been on a three-week trip to New York with Miss Universe runner up Briden Starr, 22, who was not on the flight back to Australia on Monday. Their nightmare journey began when their first connecting plane - from NY to LA - was delayed over a fuel issue. 'We got on the plane in New York and had problems - the plane was so ridiculously old,’ Ms Howard told MailOnline. Stranded: 19 teenage dancers from Sydney were left with nowhere to sleep after their Qantas flight home was cancelled . 'It took ages for them to refuel,' she added. When they eventually arrived at LA airport at 10pm they couldn't board their next flight back home to Sydney until 3am. 'They kept saying to us we're having problems we’re trying to fix it,' Ms Howard said. 'These things happen and I'm a really reasonable person but the treatment of us has just been disgusting, absolutely disgusting,' the angry teacher added. Once they finally boarded the plane at LA they had to wait for another three hours on the tarmac with 'no food and water' before being told the flight was cancelled. The troupe had been on a three-week trip to New York with Miss Universe runner up Briden Starr (pictured), 22, who was not on the flight back to Australia . Deserted: Dance teacher Marianne Howard and the performers she is chaperoning were subjected to a long ordeal which saw them stuck on a plane with no food, water or air con before being told their flight was cancelled, she has claimed . 'We sat on the plane down the back with no air con, we were absolutely cooking… my 12 year old daughter was in tears we were so hot,' Ms Howard explained. Then their journey from hell got even worse. 'When they finally announced close to 6am that the flight was cancelled we lined up for ages to get booked on another flight…. We then all got put into hotels,' she said. The 19 dancers were taken to a hotel in Santa Monica but when they arrived at 6.30am Qantas allegedly hadn't booked or paid for their rooms. 'We get to our hotel by this stage we are all really hungry. We hadn't had dinner and it's after 6am in the morning. 'The hotel there said "we’re really sorry we haven’t received an email from Qantas making payments". 'By this stage I had kids in tears - they were so tired and hungry,’ she explained. 'I asked “Who can we call?” and they said “I don’t know we don’t have a number”.’ Ms Howard complained: ‘They just shuttled us dropped off in the hotel, I didn’t even know who to call we were just shuttled here. ‘ . Bed for three hours: Ms Howard explained how the dancers were all students and didn't have any money and were taken to a storeroom to sleep . The dancers didn’t have a room at first but the hotel staff said they weren’t allowed to sleep in the lobby. 'In the foyer the kids all started falling asleep. Then a man came over and said “Sorry guys but you’re messing up my foyer you’re not allowed to sleep here. If anyone falls asleep I’ll order a shuttle back to the airport”,’ she said. The group were taken to a storeroom to sleep by the hotel staff member. 'It was like where they store tables and chairs for functions – there was no light. We were in that room for three hours,’ she added. 'We said “Please we are hungry can we get cups of tea”. They said “no you can purchase water if you like”,’ she claimed. Ms Howard explained how the dancers were all students and didn’t have any money. It was about 9am when Qantas finally paid and they were given rooms. Tired and hungry, they were given $16 breakfast vouchers for the buffet which actually cost $19.50 – in the end they decided to just eat anyway. On Monday evening, they were taken from the hotel to the airport by a shuttle at about 7pm and at last boarded their plane back to Sydney at about 10.30pm LA time. 'It’s just been fight after fight after fight. I did not speak to anyone from Qantas the entire time. I left messages. I said I needed to speak to someone urgently. The hotel said someone would call me back and to wait in the room,’ Ms Howard said. A Qantas spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Our staff on the ground work hard to minimise the impact of significant delays. This means organising food, transport and accommodation for hundreds of passengers at the last minute. 'In this instance the delay happened at 3am, so that made alternative arrangements challenging. 'We understand as a result that some passengers had a less than satisfactory experience getting from the airport to their accommodation. 'We regret the discomfort and inconvenience caused and have apologised directly to the group affected.' It is understood a small number of passengers reached their hotels ahead of their booking requests and experienced a delay in getting rooms allocated. MailOnline has attempted to contact the hotel for comment but they were unable to speak at the time and said they were not aware of any incident.

Dance teacher Marianne Howard was chaperoning 19 dancers aged 12-21 . They had been in New York for three-weeks on a dance tour . Then their flight from New York to LA was delayed . Their flight from LA to Sydney was cancelled . They were kept on a 'hot plane' for three hours on the tarmac at LAX . Finally taken to a hotel but hotel staff forced them to sleep in a storeroom .

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Juggling your job while driving might seem like an all-too difficult task for some, and that proved to be just the case for Melbourne radio's Mark Allen on Monday. Allen, a former Australian golfing professional and regular on SEN radio, was talking major moot points from the Ryder Cup Golf Tournament with SEN host Kevin Bartlett when the hands-free interview he was conducting went horribly wrong. The golfing guru was halfway through his expert commentary, when the sound of two cars colliding burst through the speakers of listeners' airwaves during their drive home from work. Scroll down for Audio . The black Mercedes Mark Allen was driving when he hit the driver in front during Monday's The Run Home segment . The pair were chatting on the radio network's The Run Home segment, before the sound of Allen's shiny black Mercedes was heard crashing in to the car in front. The pair joked about the fact he was 'obviously on hands free' before Allen was immediately instructed not to say anything further following about the crash due to 'legal reasons.' Host Kevin Bartlett said it was 'the first time we've had a crash on live radio.' 'Can you believe that he's had a crash while speaking on radio, that is a first, that is an absolute first,' he said. 'I reckon's that'd make a good promo, don't you think?' he asked listeners. Twitter users compared the golfer's skills to his poor driving capabilities . Mark Allen, left, was talking with AFL great and host of The Run Home when the incident occurred on Monday afternoon . Prior to the mid-afternoon bingle Allen had been providing expert commentary on the Ryder Cup tournament where he was breaking-down the swings of each European and US golfer. He was just about to start getting started on world number 11 Phil Mickelson before crashing into the car in front. He had been referring to statistics inside the car of each golfer, but insisted he was driving and talking in a legal manner when he came to rest on a Melbourne road. 'Ohh, I've just crashed KB, I've just crashed...I've just crashed my car.' He confirmed he and the woman were both uninjured. Most concerning to Kevin Bartlett was not the safety of the occupants involved, however, but the mere fact he'd just buckled his bright looking Mercedes. 'Not the Mercedes?' Bartlett said. Allen, upon reassuring listeners about his rear-end bingle, told Bartlett the situation was under control. 'Yeah, I'm OK, everybody's OK, the lady in front is OK.' To Bartlett's surprise, he thought Allen had pulled over on the side of the road but was in fact using his hands-free device to talk and drive at the same time. Moments after the incident Allen put a call out to his Mercedes dealer in a plug for the car company to tell him that the vehicle was 'OK.' 'If Craig Howard is listening from Berry Mercedes Benz, everything is OK Craig.' It appeared Mr Howard was listening, and he instructed Bartlett to tell Allen not to say anything further 'for legal reasons.' 'Don't say anything for legal reasons that's what's coming through from Craig Howard at the moment.' Bartlett said the network were considering using the crash audio as a future 'promo' for the show.

Radio segment ended swiftly when caller crashed during live interview . Mark Allen was talking to Kevin Bartlett on Melbourne's Radio SEN about the Ryder Cup Golf Tournament . He was referring to statistics during his regular segment before crashing, but insisted he was driving hands-free . The Mercedes came to rest after rear-ending the car driven by a female in front . Bartlett said it was the first car accident the station had heard about during a live interview .

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By . Vanessa Allen and Emine Sinmaz . PUBLISHED: . 19:05 EST, 26 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:09 EST, 26 April 2013 . Thomas Farage, the son of UKIP leader Nigel Farage (pictured) is facing court over a drunk and disorderly charge . The son of UKIP leader Nigel Farage is facing court over a drunk and disorderly charge, it was revealed yesterday. City trader Thomas Farage, 21, was arrested at 3am in a London street earlier this month. He did not appear for his first hearing at City of London Magistrates’ Court yesterday and his lawyers have asked prosecutors to deal with the case away from court. The allegations are embarrassing for UK  Independence Party leader Mr Farage ahead of the May 2 county council elections, in which UKIP hopes to make record gains. But the hearing was yesterday adjourned until May 10. There is no suggestion the case was deliberately delayed until after the elections. Farage was arrested at 3am in St Martin’s Le Grand, a street in the Square Mile near St Paul’s Cathedral. His lawyers asked the Crown Prosecution Service to consider medical evidence in the case, although no further details were given. Prosecutor Catherine Baccas told magistrates: ‘There are discussions between the parties as to a more appropriate outcome.’ CPS guidelines state that low-level crimes by first-time offenders can be dealt with out of court using cautions, fines or community service if it is deemed appropriate. A spokesman said: ‘In this particular case, the defence has asked that we take into consideration medical evidence concerning the defendant before proceeding with this prosecution. ‘It is only sensible that potentially relevant evidence should be taken into account, so we have asked the court to adjourn this case until we have received and reviewed the evidence.’ Thomas Farage did not appear for his first hearing at City of London Magistrates' Court yesterday and his lawyers have asked prosecutors to deal with the case away from court . UKIP leader Mr Farage refused to comment, saying: ‘I have nothing to say, I have nothing to say, you’re ****ing in the wind with me.’ He has two adult sons from his first marriage and two young daughters with second wife Kirsten Mehr, a German broker. His first wife, Grainne Hayes, would only say: ‘I believe it’s all being dealt with by my ex-husband.’ Thomas Farage, who lives with his mother in Rochester, Kent, was unavailable for comment. He was granted unconditional bail. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Thomas Farage arrested at 3am in a London street earlier this month . His lawyers have asked prosecutors to deal with case away from court . UKIP leader Nigel Farage hopes to make gains in May 2 elections .

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By . Richard Spillett . A crime tsar compared to David Brent has attempted to defend herself after police officers branded her a 'laughing stock' following an 'embarrassing' Channel 4 documentary about her job. Viewers reacted with fury to last night's Meet The Police Commissioner programme in which Ann Barnes, elected crime chief for Kent, struggled to explain her £85,000-a-year taxpayer-funded role. Mrs Barnes today tried to calm anger over the fly-on-the-wall show, claiming the programme placed 'too much emphasis' on her. Scroll down for video . Ann Barnes is facing mounting criticism of her £85,000-a-year role as Kent police commissioner after a 'car crash' TV documentary, which showed her travelling around the county in her 'Ann Force 1' van . Mrs Barnes was compared to Ricky Gervais's desperate character David Brent after she was filmed struggling to explain her publicly-funded job with Kent Police . The documentary showed Mrs Barnes travelling in a van she dubs 'Ann Force 1', having difficulty explaining an approach to policing priorities called 'the onion' and bringing her dogs into the office. She also failed to write her title correctly on a whiteboard, was filmed painting her 'flaky' nails and compared the force to a tin of paint that she wanted to 'prise' open. Ian . Pointon, chairman of the Kent Police Federation, which represents . rank-and-file officers, told BBC Radio Kent: 'I think it was probably a . disaster from start to finish, in fairness. 'It . was an ill-advised concept and from within Kent Police I know that Mrs . Barnes was advised not to do it. It was never going to end well. 'I . think, sadly, it has turned Kent Police by association into something . of a laughing stock. Social media was alight with comments.' Viewers took to Twitter during and after the hour-long programme to say ex-teacher Mrs Barnes was an 'embarrassment' to Kent Police. Viewers attacked Mrs Barnes on Twitter, comparing her to comedy characters David Brent and Alan Partridge . Website . users compared her to Ricky Gervais' character from The Office, David Brent, with one commenting that the show was 'depressingly hilarious, hilariously depressing'. One viewer . tweeted: 'What an embarrassment Ann Barnes, PCC for Kent Police, is. Anybody watching this car crash TV? I'm not sure if this is a joke or . not.' Another said: 'Ann Barnes was like Kent's very own David Brent. A total embarrassment and waste of taxpayers' money.' The show was seen as a damning indictment of the elected roles, with 88 per cent of the more than 1,000 people who voted in a poll on local news website KentOnline saying they didn't think the Commissioner did a good job. This afternoon, a banner reading '#annbarnesout - resign' was flown over Maidstone, Kent where Mrs Barnes works. A plane towing the banner, whose pilot refused to say to paid for the sign, circled Kent Police HQ for around a quarter of an hour shortly after midday today. Mrs Barnes was branded a 'laughing stock' by a police officers, who said the programme was a 'disaster' After she was attacked by police officers and the public over the show, Mrs Barnes attempted to deflect criticism this morning, claiming that the programme put 'too much emphasis on me as an individual' Mrs Barnes tried to play down public anger at the show this morning, publishing a defence of her decision to appear on TV on her website. On what her 'Crime Onion' means: 'Oh God, I've got no idea - I can't tell you actually - I wasn't thinking I'd be talking about the actual onion (the concentric circles) as we call it - umm I don't know know really - everything's important.' On her job: 'Oh dear, what is a police commissioner? Right, well it's not the Police Commissioner, it's the Police and Crime Commissioner. 'It's a strange job because there is actually no description at all - there are certain responsibilities you have to do, but there is no actual job description.' On her Ann Force One battle bus: 'My budget is £317million, £15,000 is money well spent - I could have had a top of range Mercedes, but it's not my image.' She wrote: 'Many people have given their views on the programme and have speculated about my motivation for doing it. 'The only reason I agreed to do the documentary was to help people to better understand the job of a police and crime commissioner. 'The decision to let a film crew examine the work of the office for four months was not one I took lightly. 'I hoped it would give an insight into what is being done to help achieve the best possible police service for Kent. 'The film does go some way to addressing the complexities of the job and illustrates some of the challenges involved. 'But I am disappointed that there is too much emphasis on me as an individual and not enough on the work of the office. 'I know . that much of what the office has achieved was filmed and I am frustrated . that these scenes did not make it through to the final version.' Mrs Barnes . was elected as the first PCC in Kent in November 2012 despite . previously branding the Government's plan to increase police . accountability a 'wilful waste of money'. Ann Barnes stands next to Paris Brown, Britain's first youth crime commissioner who quit when it was revealed she had posted a series of highly offensive comments online . She . became the most high-profile of the country’s 41 crime tsars a year ago . when The Mail on Sunday revealed her £15,000 youth commissioner, Paris . Brown, 17, had posted a series of highly offensive comments online. Miss . Brown wrote the messages during the last six months before she was . given the role of helping the force ‘stay in touch with young people’. She . called homosexuals ‘fags’, immigrants ‘illegals’ and travellers . ‘pikeys’, and said she had ‘a thing for older men’, an apparent . reference to a teacher at her former school. Mrs Barnes tried to save the teenager's job, but Brown was forced to quit. Scathing: Commissioner Bob Jones claims PCCs have been a £100m waste of money . Police and crime commissioners have the job of ‘bringing communities closer to the police, building confidence in the system and restoring trust’. They were brought in across England and Wales in November 2012 by the Conservatives to set budgets and decide on strategies while also holding chief constables to account. But lack of enthusiasm for the reform meant the polls were held with little publicity, and a record low 15 per cent of voters turned out. They are tasked with creating a police and crime plan, setting the force budget and appointing or dismissing the chief constable. The former police authorities also had the power to hire and fire chief constables but this rarely happened. But one of the elected crime tsars branded them £100million waste of money and spend their time dreaming up gimmicks and clashing with senior officers. The Labour PCC for the West Midlands Bob Jones confessed that in their first year in charge of police forces, Police and Crime Commissioners did not make them run better nor made the public safer. PCCs have become embroiled in a series of  scandals, including: . Cumbria’s Tory PCC Richard Rhodes took two chauffeur-driven trips to meetings, costing taxpayers £700, and when the news was leaked to a local paper, the whistleblower was arrested. PCCs in Gwent and Lincolnshire forced out their chief constables. In each force only one person applied to take over the top job. A dozen or so PCCs handed out well-paid deputy roles to friends and allies without advertising them. At least four PCCs have already been investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission for alleged criminal misconduct. Several PCCs have caused controversy over expenses, including Norfolk’s Stephen Bett who declared his home as his place of work, allowing him to claim mileage for driving to the force HQ. He agreed to repay £3,000.

Police and Crime Commissioner mauled over 'car crash' Channel 4 show . She was shown struggling to explain her job and using management speak . Public have attacked her £85,000-a-year role on Twitter after documentary . She is compared to David Brent and Alan Partridge by viewers on Twitter . Police officers are also angry, branding show 'a disaster from start to finish' She goes online to defend herself, attacking the programme's editors . Critics fly banner over city where she works urging her to resign .

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(CNN) -- Veteran Tommy Haas described his fourth round victory over world No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the Miami Masters as "one of the best wins of my career". The German, who reached No. 2 in the world rankings in 2002, kept his cool to become only the second player this year to beat double defending champion Djokovic in an ATP Tour event. The 6-2 6-4 triumph was Haas' third win over six-time grand slam winner Djokovic in seven career meetings and his first win against a top-ranked player since he beat Andre Agassi in 1999. "I'm just really happy and proud of that tonight, against such a great player who has been dominating the sport the past couple of years, I really took advantage of the opportunities I've gotten," the 34-year-old German told the tournament's official website. "I think I played extremely well. He gave me a lot of looks, and I took advantage of it." "These are the moments I appreciate the most, going on those big stadiums, big stages, playing against the best people in the world. Playing against someone like Novak and coming out on top at this time of my career, it's unbelievable." Djokovic was magnanimous in defeat, praising his opponent while also admitting he was well below his own exceptionally high standards. "All the credit to him," said the Serb, who also lost to Juan Martin del Potro at the recent Indian Wells Masters event. "He played a great match and he was the better player, no question about it. "The results show everything. As far as I'm concerned, it's definitely the worst match I have played in a long time." Haas advanced to play French 11th seed Gilles Simon, in what is the first all-European quarterfinal line-up in the event's history. Djokovic's defeat means second seed Andy Murray is the highest-ranked player left in the draw. The 2012 U.S. Open champion breezed beyond Italy's Andreas Seppi to set up a last-eight meeting with Croatia's Marin Cilic, who upset fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. No. 3 David Ferrer won in straight-sets against Japan's Kei Nishikori, cruising to a 6-4 6-2 success. Spain's Ferrer will play Austria's Juergen Melzer for a place in the semifinals. The quarterfinal line-up is completed by fourth seed Tomas Berdych and Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who defeated Sam Querrey and Nicolas Almagro respectively.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic loses to Tommy Haas at Miami Masters . The defeat is only Djokovic's second the 2013 season . Second seed Andy Murray beats Italian Andreas Seppi to reach the last eight . The event has an all-European quarterfinal line-up for the first time .

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A young couple jailed for burglarizing Miley Cyrus and stealing her $100,000 sports car have said they were inspired by the notorious Bling Ring. Aspiring models Naomi Charles, 21 and boyfriend Tylor Scott, 19, both pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the singer’s home on May 30 this year. It has now emerged that just like the infamous teen gang, the young woman was the leader of the two, and the lure of fame the trigger. Bling ringed: Aspiring models Naomi Charles, 21, and boyfriend Tylor Scott, 19, burglarized Miley Cyrus home in Studio City, LA in May, stealing jewellery and her $100,000 car, after being inspired by the Bling Ring gang . Crime: The couple scaled a fence to enter singer Miley Cyrus' home and stole jewellery, purses, clothing and her $100,000 Maserati . Charles and Scott scaled a fence and entered the We Can’t Stop singer’s home in Studio City, LA, while she was on tour and stole an unknown amount of jewellery, clothing and purses, as well as her 2014 Maserati Quattroporte. Miley Cyrus’ assistant reported the burglary the following day after noticing items out of place in the home. The car was found a few days later in Simi Valley, 45 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, LAPD said at the time. Charles, a Los Angeles resident, and Scott, from Arizona, were arrested on June 5 in North Hollywood, after being recognised from the surveillance video of the theft – just like the infamous Bling Ring members. The Bling Ring was a group of seven teens and young adults based around Calabasas, California who burglarized the homes of several stars, including Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Megan Fox, Rachel Bilson, Ashley Tisdale and Lindsay Lohan, in the late noughties. Bonnie and Clyde: The thieving two appears to have been in a relationship, posing images of them kissing on social media . Inspiration: Charles told police the couple were inspired by the infamous Bling Ring, a group of teen burglars whose story was brought to the big screen in 2013, starring Emma Watson and Katie Chang . Hot wheels: The couple also stole Miley's $100,000 Maserati, which was found abandoned 45 miles from Los Angeles a few days after the burglary . Talk to the hand: Miley, pictured in concert during her Bangerz Tour in Mexico City on Friday, have yet to comment on the guilty verdicts . Last year, the Bling Ring story was turned into . a movie directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Emma Watson as the best . known of the bunch – Alexis Neiers. After . pleading guilty in 2009, Ms Neiers went on to star in a reality-tv show . about her life, in effect, gaining minor fame as a result of her . crimes, something which may have inspired Charles. Before . committing the burglary, Charles shared photos of expensive cars and . wads of cash on Twitter, with the caption: ‘Life goals.’ The ‘fitness model’ also posted on social media that she wished she ‘was like Miley’. The Bonnie and Clyde-couple both pleaded guilty to guilty to felony residential burglary on Monday, September 22, telling police of their inspiration, TMZ reports. Charles was sentenced to one year in county jail and four years probation, while Scott, who has a previous criminal record, was given a harsher sentence. Scott, . who also pled guilty to felony grand theft and admitted to bringing a . firearm to the burglary, was sentenced to five years in state prison. Miley Cyrus, who is currently on her South American leg of her Bangerz Tour, have not made any comments on the verdicts, instead posting snaps of herself in bed and on stage on her Instagram.

Naomi Charles, 21, and Tylor Scott, 19, burglarized Miley Cyrus LA home . Couple stole jewellery, clothing and purses as well as a $100,000 Maserati . Told police they were inspired by fame-crazed teen burglars The Bling Ring .

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By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 12:35 EST, 29 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:47 EST, 29 January 2013 . 'Stupid behaviour': Anton Rodgers, the son of Liverpool football boss Brendan Rodgers admitted having a photograph taken exposing himself in front of a girl, his trial heard . The son of Liverpool football manager Brendan Rodgers today admitted having a photograph taken exposing himself in front of a girl, but claimed it was just ‘boy banter', a court heard. Anton Rodgers, 19, denied he and three of his team mates sexually assaulted the teenage girl, saying she was awake and giggling throughout the horseplay. He said he joined in the 'boy banter' because he wanted to fit in as he was a new member of the Brighton and Hove team, but he admitted that with hindsight that it was ‘stupid behaviour’. Rodgers, a midfielder with the Championship club, is alleged to be one of four footballers who took snaps of the drunk blonde, whose drink may have been spiked, as they exposed themselves and made vulgar poses around her. The girl only realised what had happened to her when she woke up semi-naked next to Rodgers in the Jury’s Inn hotel in Brighton the next morning, the court heard. Jurors were told she borrowed Rodgers’ mobile phone and came across the pictures of a blonde woman in a pink dress ‘clearly not awake’ with men masturbating around her. But today Rodgers, 19, denied anything sexual was going on. He told the jury he and his team mates had gone out after celebrating their 2-0 pre-season victory over Eastbourne FC on July 16, 2011 and he saw the girl 'being flirtatious' with another player. Rodgers, who had only signed with the club three to four weeks before on £250 a week, said he only spoke briefly to the girl who wanted to know why first team player Leon Redwood was not paying any attention to her. At around 2am, he returned to the hotel with George Barker, 21, to go to bed, but was a woken half an hour later when his teams mates Steve Cook and Lewis Dunk, both 21, came into his room with the girl. He said there was a 'jovial, laughing atmosphere' and the girl 'seemed content.' He said: 'It was still a jokey atmosphere. I remember Steve being quite drunk but he was being quite funny. He was one of the main characters in the team.' He said the girl who was wearing a tight dress then cuddled up between him and George who were in the double bed adding; 'She moved on to me and tried to kiss my neck but I ended up shrugging her off. 'She tried to grab my penis area and I said to her to get off. I had no interest in what she seemed to be intent on. 'It appeared she was doing the same to George, I can’t recall them snogging but I could hear the same thing.' He said Lewis and Steve were giggling too and they started taking photos on his phone but he denied there was any sexual gratification to it. He said: 'No no. This was never the case. It was just a laugh. I understand now how stupid it was now but honest, it was just a bit of boy banter. It was jokey. As I said it was just boy banter, a good laugh. 'She was just giggling. She seemed to be laughing with us.' Allegation: The girl only realised what had happened to her when she woke up semi-naked next to Rodgers in the Jury's Inn hotel (above) in Brighton the next morning, the court heard . But he added the atmospheres changed when Leon walked into the room. He said: 'It seemed she was laughing, being bubbly and then that’s when she shut her eyes and seemed to be trying to go to sleep. I was awkward but Leon broke the awkwardness by laughing as well. From what I remember he sprayed the shaving foam on her leg.' He said a picture was taken of George grinning with his thumbs up after writing his initials in shaving foam on her thigh and then they all left and they went to sleep. The next morning the girl 'politely' asked to borrow his phone to make a call and then ten minutes later woke him because she had discovered the images and said: 'I think she was embarrassed' He agreed to delete the pictures but forwarded the one with George and the shaving phone via BlackBerry messaging. Rodgers and his team-mates Lewis Dunk (left) and George Barker (right) all deny sexual assault and voyeurism . Steve Cook, who now plays for Bournemouth, also denies sexual assault and voyeurism . He and his team mates thought nothing more of the incident until they were arrested as they got off the team coach after returning from Wrexham in January of last year adding 'This was a shock.' Talking about when he exposed his penis he said: 'I was standing directly above her but that was it. I was not kneeling down or crouching. I was standing on the bed while she was laughing. 'It was a laugh, I was new at the time. It was funny at the time. Looking back at it, it was just the case of fitting in and having a laugh.' It is alleged the ‘pretty, outgoing’ woman, now 21, had asked Rodgers to delete the photos but he just laughed. She later confided in a work colleague what had happened, but was too scared to go to police. It was not until another player told her months later that the pictures were being passed around the club and threatened to post them on the internet that she finally reported it. Rodgers, Barker, Dunk and their former team-mate Cook, 21, who now plays for Bournemouth, all deny charges of sexual assault and voyeurism. The Old Bailey heard they went to several bars and she ended up coming back to their hotel room. But she claims the next thing she remembers is waking up in bed with Rodgers in just his underwear with her bra off and her dress pulled up. When interviewed by police, Rodgers refused to answer questions and the other three gave very basic accounts of what had happened that night. Barker said there was only one picture taken of him with the shaving foam, Dunk claimed he had fallen asleep while Cook admitted he may have been in the background but did not get his penis out. The foam picture was discovered on Barker’s phone when he was arrested. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Anton Rodgers tells trial that girl was awake and giggling through horseplay . Claimed he did it to fit in because he was new to Brighton and Hove team . But 19-year-old denies he and three team-mates sexually assaulted teenager .

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Ten-man Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich battled to a 1-1 draw at home to Schalke 04 on Tuesday as they struggled to bounce back from last week's heavy defeat at VfL Wolfsburg. Arjen Robben headed the hosts in front after 67 minutes as Bayern, who suffered their first league setback with a 4-1 loss at second-placed Wolfsburg on Friday, dug deep after Jerome Boateng gave away a penalty and was sent off in the 17th minute. Schalke failed to score from the spot kick with Manuel Neuer saving Eric-Maxim Choupo's weak effort but after Robben's goal Benedikt Hoewedes levelled with a glancing header in the 72nd to rescue a point and keep his team in fourth place on 31. Arjen Robben wheels away in celebration of his 66th-minute goal against Schalke . Pep Guardiola celebrates his team's first and only goal against Schalke on Tuesday night . Benedikt Hoewedes points to the stands after pulling Schalke level just five minutes after Robben's goal . The Schalke players join Howedes in celebration after their captain pulled the away side level . Jerome Boateng (left) was shown a straight red card for this challenge on Sidney Sam . Boateng looks on in disbelief as referee Bastian Dankert brandishes a red card during the first half . Bayern Munich: Neuer; Benatia, Boateng, Alaba; Alonso, Schweinsteiger, Bernat, Weiser (Rode 87'); Gotze (Dante 27'), Muller (Lewandowski 54'), Robben . Subs not used: Pizarro, Gaudino, Badstuber . Sent off: Boateng . Goal: Robben 66' Schalke: Giefer; Howedes, Uchida, Fuchs, Nastasic, Matip; Meyer, Boateng (Barnetta 85'), Neustadter, Sam (Sane 76'); Choupo-Moting . Subs not used: Wellenreuther, Aogo, Ayhan, Sobottka, Platte . Goal: Howedes 71' Champions Bayern managed to protect their eight point lead over a Wolfsburg side who failed to replicate last week's form, rescuing a 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt courtesy of Kevin De Bruyne's 88th minute equaliser, his third goal in two games. Bayern have 46 points ahead of Wolfsburg with 38 while third-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach, on 33, closed the gap on the wolves thanks to a 1-0 win over visiting Freiburg with Patrick Herrmann on target. Last season's Bundesliga runners-up Borussia Dortmund, who are bottom of the table, host in-form Augsburg on Wednesday. Speaking after the game, Robben said: 'It's frustrating. 'We go ahead and then we let him score. We were down a man but we ran and fought, and controlled the game, so it's disappointing. 'Schalke didn't do anything, they only defended. We didn't allow any counter-attacks, we played much better than against Wolfsburg.' Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer dives low to his left and saves Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's penalty . Kevin-Prince Boateng (left) is challenged by Bastian Schweinsteiger during the first half . Juan Bernat (right) and Schalke's Atsuto Uchida challenge for the ball during the Bundesliga clash .

Schalke earned 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in Bundesliga clash . Arjen Robben gave home side 1-0 lead with second-half header . Benedikt Howedes levelled the scoring with a well timed header . Jerome Boateng shown straight red card for first-half tackle on Sidney Sam . Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting saw resulting penalty saved by Manuel Neuer .

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Melbourne motorists have been urged to stay away from the Monash Freeway this afternoon after it was closed earlier following a major chemical spill. The Country Fire Authority (CFA) reports that a specialist hazardous materials team has controlled the spill from a drum of highly flammable aviation fuel, which occurred just before 11am. 200 litres of the fuel was being transported in a truck also carrying other highly dangerous chemicals - however authorities say the heavy mover did not crash or roll over. The bank-up of traffic on the Monash Freeway in Melbourne  after a truck carrying highly flammable liquid began leaking earlier today . 'Firefighters in fully enclosed gas suits worked successfully for several hours to prevent the chemicals mixing or igniting,' said the CFA. All inbound and outbound lanes were expected to be open by the peak hour period. Earlier, CFA crews had issued urgent advice, which requested that residents turn off all air-conditioning units. Fire authorities urged residents in the area to stay inside and switch off air conditioners while the clean up of the aviation fuel took place . Operations Officer Greg Christison that a passer-by had alerted the truck driver to the chemical leak who then pulled over and contacted emergency services about the problem. Firefighters were immediately sent to the scene at the Heatherton Road overpass. The truck leaked about 200 litres of highly flammable aviation fuel, the CFA said. VicRoads has confirmed that even with the re-opening of the freeway, that motorists making their way home should expect delays throughout the afternoon and evening.

Chemical spill closed Monash Freeway for several hours . Truck carrying 200 litres of highly flammable aviation fuel began leaking . Residents were told to stay inside and not to switch on air-conditioning units . Motorists urged to stay away from area if possible .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:58 EST, 31 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:01 EST, 31 October 2013 . A medical examiner has testified saying he was unable to prove how the wife of a Mormon doctor charged with murder died, complicating an eventual decision by jurors in the case. The medical examiner said that Michele MacNeill’s heart could have stopped beating because of a natural reaction to the toxicity of prescription drugs she was using following her recent face lift and latent heart disease. 'I didn't believe I had enough to justify homicide,' Todd Grey testified on Thursday about his finding in the case involving defendant Martin MacNeill. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE . Inconclusive: Medical examiner Todd Grey changed the report of Michele MacNeill's death so that it wasn't necessarily a natural causes but said that it was undetermined . Grey said an irregular heartbeat was the most probable manner of death, but he doesn't know what caused it. A heart arrhythmia 'leaves no footprints' that can be detected by a forensic pathologist, he said. While he did not directly state any alternative theories, the prosecutor laid one out for him, saying: 'If you were to learn that the defendant here drugged up Michele MacNeill, and convinced her to get into the tub, and held her down for a little bit and it caused her death, would that scenario be consistent with how Michele MacNeill may have died here?' 'Yes it certainly is possible,' Grey responded. The assistant medical examiner who drew up the first report has since died, but Grey said that he purposefully made it more open-ended. 'You wonder is something else going on here, if there is motive,' he said of the case. Grey's testimony came a day after one of Martin MacNeill’s mistresses testified that he once described how he could induce a heart attack in someone that would appear natural. Anna Walthall said MacNeill told her over 'pillow talk' in 2005 that '`there's something you can give someone that's natural that's a heart attack that's not detectable after they have a heart attack.'' One of Grey's subordinates initially ruled that Michele MacNeill's 2007 death was natural from heart disease, and that she had high blood pressure and was developing myocardosis, or inflamed heart tissue that could have interfered with a normal heart rate or rhythm, he said. Investigative findings prompted Grey to change the autopsy finding to undetermined - and to add that drug toxicity may have played a role. Staying quiet: Martin MacNeill (left) has yet to be called to the stand, and it is not clear if he ever will . Those investigative findings 'raised a question as to whether this was a simple, straightforward, natural death,' said Grey. He wasn't asked to elaborate on the stand. That said, the change to undetermined opened the way for the murder charge against Martin MacNeill. Prosecutors have said he hounded Michele MacNeill to get cosmetic surgery, then knocked her out with painkillers, Valium and sleeping pills and left her to die in a bathtub. For the first time in the trial, prosecutor Chad Grunander suggested that MacNeill 'held her down to cause her death.' Defense lawyers argue she had a heart attack and fell into the tub. Grey said he couldn't confirm that she drowned, but it is possible. He said her lungs were about twice their normal weight, possibly because they were saturated with fluid or blood congestion, 'but I couldn't use those findings alone to prove drowning.' Family view: Alexis Somers, who is a doctor and is familiar with the drugs her father gave her mother, took the stand for a second day, repeating how she believes 'he killed her' Defense and offense: MacNeill's lawyer Randy Spector (left) tried to poke holes in Somers' credibility and prosecutor Chad Grunader (right) hails her as one of his star witnesses . Emergency medics previously testified Michelle MacNeill expelled two or three cups of fluid from her mouth when they performed chest compressions. Still Grey said it wasn't clear if the water came from her lungs or stomach. In addition to the medical examiner, the court also heard from one of MacNeill’s older daughters Alexis Somers. She first testified on Wednesday and continued on Thursday, when the prosecution tried to poke holes in her credibility. They argue the Somers, who now uses her mother’s maiden name, has based her recollections of the events surrounding her mother’s death on her desire to seek revenge on her father. She has not been shy in offering her opinion, saying explicitly why she was so determined to investigate her mother’s death. ‘Because I believe my father killed her,’ she said in court on Thursday. Picture perfect: Martin and Michele MacNeill, who died in April 2007 after a facelift, had eight children . During her testimony on Wednesday, Somers revealed that just days after Michele was found dead in the family's bathtub, she received a phone call from her father saying that he had found a nanny for her younger siblings. She told the court that he started to say that the nanny's name was Jillian and she cut him off. 'You mean Gypsy Jillian Willis? I know that woman and I know that mom was worried about you having an affair with her and you are not to bring her into this home,' Alexis recalled telling her father. 'He got irate. He was screaming at me, "How dare you, how dare you accuse me?"' The court had never been told that Michele had suspicions about her husband cheating before, but Alexis said that her mother had paid a service to track a phone number that her husband had been calling. That number was registered to Gypsy Jyll Willis.

Medical examiner changed the report of Michele MacNeill's death from originally saying that she died of natural causes to 'undetermined' She was found dead in a tub after an apparent suicide . Now her doctor husband- who told a former mistress he knew how to make a murder look natural- is on trial for Michele's death . The couple's children have testified saying that they believe he is guilty .

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PUBLISHED: . 16:02 EST, 16 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:02 EST, 16 June 2012 . Crime novelist Reginald Hill, who created the detective characters Dalziel and Pascoe, left £2.6 million in his will. Hill, who died aged 75 in January, wrote 24 bestselling novels featuring Yorkshire detectives Superintendent Andrew Dalziel and Inspector Peter Pascoe. His characters inspired the BBC TV drama Dalziel And Pascoe, which ran for 12 series between 1996 and 2007 and regularly had audiences of more than eight million. Detective work: Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan starred in the BBC adaptation of Dalziel and Pascoe. The show featured Warren Clarke as the politically incorrect Dalziel, while Colin Buchanan played Pascoe, a sociology graduate. Probate records released last  week disclose that Hill left his entire net estate of £2,628,728 to Patricia, his wife of 51 years. The couple had no children. The author, who was born in Hartlepool, County Durham, in 1936, died at his home near Ravenglass, Cumbria, after a year-long battle with cancer. Crime novelist Reginald Hill died in January, aged 75. The son of a professional footballer, he was brought up in Carlisle. At Stanwix primary school, he recalled: "I was always scribbling." Hill once said that he wrote "for fun" from an early age and ended up with "a bottom drawer of first chapters". He passed the 11-plus and at Carlisle Grammar School excelled at English. After National Service between 1955 and . 1957, he went up on a scholarship to St Catherine’s College, Oxford, . where he played rugby. Graduating in English Literature in 1960, . Hill became a schoolmaster and later lectured at Doncaster College of . Education before deciding to become a full-time writer in 1980. By the age of 30, he began looking to writing as a career and the first Dalziel and Pascoe novel was published four years later.Fuelled by the success of the BBC television adaptations, Hill went on to find a worldwide audience. A series of five books set in Luton featuring a black private investigator called Joe Sixsmith followed, with a host of other novels published under other names, including a series of thrillers as Patrick Ruell. Hill won the Crime Writers’ Association Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement in 1995. Crime fighters: The popular BBC drama Dalziel and Pascoe ran for 12 series between 1996 and 2007 .

Crime novelist wrote 24 bestsellers featuring the popular Yorkshire detectives . Characters inspire long-running BBC crime drama . Famed author died aged 75 after long battle with cancer .

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An Iraq war veteran who was the alleged victim of a racially motivated beating in Mississippi continues to improve but is 'not coming home anytime soon,' his father said. Former U.S. Marine Ralph Weems, 32, suffered a traumatic brain injury after being attacked by a large group of black men in a restaurant parking lot in West Point in August. After the attack, Weems had surgery and was put in a medically induced coma. He began treatment at a VA rehabilitation facility in Texas where he learned to walk again and is now set to move to a facility in either Louisiana or Arkansas. Former U.S. Marine Ralph Weems, 32, suffered a traumatic brain injury after being attacked by a large group of black men in a restaurant parking lot in West Point in August . Weems and his friend were followed to the parking lot of this Huddle House by a group of more than 20 black men who proceeded to attack them . 'He's physically made a lot of improvements,' Weems III told the Clarion-Ledger. 'Traumatic brain injury takes a long time to recover in a lot of ways.' A Gofundme webpage setup to help pay for his medical expenses has so far received over $9,000, but is hoping to raise $25,000. Weems and a friend visited a Waffle House in late August, but soon left after a man politely told the pair that the restaurant was not safe for white people. David Knighten of West Point said the man told him that people were upset by the killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson just weeks earlier. The pair went into the restaurant anyway, but Weems started arguing with around seven black men and so they left, said Knighten. A Waffle House employee told police who answered a 1am disturbance call that a patron was creating a disturbance and upsetting other patrons. Courtez McMillian, Constance McFarland and Marquavious McMillian, from left to right, have been charged with aggravated assault in connection with the alleged attack . Weems and a friend visited this Waffle House in late August, but soon left after a man politely told the pair that the restaurant was not safe for white people . After Weems was asked to leave, employees also asked the other patrons to leave. On the way to Weems' house, Knighten said, they went into a Huddle House restaurant with a nearly vacant parking lot but were followed by a group of more than 20 black men. Knighten, who had served with the Air Force in Afghanistan, said he came out of the restroom to find Weems surrounded. 'I was trying to defuse the situation,' he said. After some shoving, he said, the security guard told everyone to leave. Knighten said some people blocked him from leaving with Weems. When he got out, he said, Weems was down and people were kicking him. After the attack, Weems had brain surgery and was put in a medically induced coma. He began treatment at a VA rehabilitation facility in Texas and is now set to move to a facility in either Louisiana or Arkansas . Knighten said others attacked him, adding 'I do remember racial slurs being yelled from the crowd.' Police were called to the Huddle House about 2am and West Point Police Chief Tim Brinkley said the evidence suggested it was 'a verbal altercation turned physical and somebody got hurt.' The FBI and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation have yet to determine if the case is a hate crime. In November, Constance Levail McFarland, 21, became the third man to be charged with aggravated assault in connection with the alleged attack. Marquavious McMillian, 20, and Courtez McMillian, 22, were arrested in August in connection with the incident.

Ralph Weems, 32, suffered a traumatic brain injury after being attacked by a large group of black men in West Point in August . He began treatment at a rehabilitation facility in Texas where he learned to walk again, but family say he still has a long way to go . 'Traumatic brain injury takes a long time to recover in a lot of ways,' said his father . To date three men have been charged with aggravated assault in connection with the attack . The FBI and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation have yet to determine if the case was a hate crime .

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(CNN) -- I heard on the news that Junior Seau passed away. Seau, 43, ended his life last Wednesday. He did so as purposefully and violently as he played the game of football. Today, a public memorial is planned for him at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Junior, like my former teammate Andre Waters and friend Dave Duerson, both of whom also committed suicide, played the game as they were taught, with reckless abandon. These guys didn't just tackle opponents; they ran through them, never applying the brakes before collision. And they did what all great athletes do: They learned to play with pain. ESPN analyst Marcellus Wiley, a former teammate of Seau with the San Diego Chargers, said of Junior that "he never let you see his pain." He also said that Junior would not get treatment with his teammates but would do so privately, so he was seen only at full strength. The recent spate of suicides committed by former players has the NFL and the entire sports world examining the cumulative impact of concussions over the span of a career and a lifetime. The emerging research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has helped identify at least one culprit in the uncharacteristically fatal behavior of men who lived by the creed, "never give up." But inherent in that creed is a zero sum mentality that teaches us all to "play with pain." This also means that we learned to live with pain. Together with CTE, this is a lethal combination that can be very difficult to see, unless we change our lens. When I received the news about Junior, I had just walked out of my daughter's second-grade classroom. A few dads were helping with a craft for Mother's Day. While in class, I complained to another dad about the painful decision of saving my back or my knees while assisting children with their cutting and gluing. I knew the source of my physical pain, and it is a constant reminder of a proud football career. I accept that I gave my body to the game I love and every day I experience the consequences. That has long been the lament of former athletes: bad knees, bad back and nagging body aches are the battle scars of weekend warriors. During the drive home from school, I thought of the scars that riddle my body and mind. And, for the first time in the discussion of the life expectancy of NFL players, I saw myself. Junior is the 19th player that I played with or knew personally from college and professional football who is dead, all before 50. He is the fifth to commit suicide. Then I thought of Cover 8. In 1986, when I was a quarterback at Syracuse University, we installed a defensive formation called Cover 8. It moved the free safety, a position usually 18 yards away from the line of scrimmage, to just half that distance. The purpose was to stop the quarterback (me). Our free safety was Marcus Paul, now assistant strength coach for Super Bowl champs the New York Giants. For 20 days, we purposely and violently ran through each other several times a day. Each collision brought admiration, respect and a hardening of our resolve. We knew we were making each other better. If we survived each other, no opponent could pose a greater challenge. We played for another 10 years, but we still laugh about the ringing in the ears and the workman-like way we went at each other that spring, conditioning ourselves to raise our threshold for pain. We were young men demonstrating the rules of masculinity and sports. Ignore pain, leave it on the field and never back down. As a businessman, I know the merits of those qualities that transferred from my athletic career. But I wonder (and fear) as a man and as a person about what other physical and emotional qualities transferred? At what costs? And when will I find out? Women are twice as likely to attempt suicide but men are four times more successful. We both suffer from mental illness and seemingly insurmountable stress. But men are also less likely to show signs or ask for help. This leads to the "if you can't fix it, force it" approach that is evident in most violent acts committed by men. Sadly, there were signs with Junior, Andre, Dave and all the other players who have committed suicide. And, they knew it. What they didn't know was how to tell us. And, we didn't know how to see it in them. We assumed that they were like most players who find it hard to adjust to life outside the locker room, without the game. It's easy to see them as warriors without a war. It's harder to see them as men without capacity to say, "I hurt and I need help." The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Don McPherson.

Don McPherson: Football's Junior Seau, who committed suicide, to be memorialized today . He says research shows punishing head injury, living with pain leads some to suicide . He says he has his own scars from football; Junior's death a sobering reminder of toll . McPherson: Junior knew there were signs he was in trouble, didn't know how to get help .

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By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 06:48 EST, 16 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:52 EST, 16 April 2013 . Women in the UK know more about intimate beauty treatments than they do about serious sexual health conditions, a new survey suggests. While 67 per cent claim to have heard of Brazilian bikini waxing and 48 had heard of vajazzles - made famous by The Only Way is Essex - just 39 per cent know about Bacterial vaginosis (BV). This is a condition that can lead to fertility problems, miscarriage and increased risk of sexually transmitted infections. BV affects one in three women, making it twice as common as thrush, and if untreated during pregnancy it can lead to serious complications. Women in the UK know more about intimate beauty treatments than they do about serious sexual health conditions . The condition can put women at risk of contracting STIs such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia . Pregnant women with the condition are six times more likely to miscarry and twice as likely to give birth prematurely. BV occurs when the balance of internal bacteria is disrupted, leading to an unpleasant odour. It can be treated with antibiotics. The survey, carried out by Balance Activ – producers of a BV treatment – also revealed that the condition often goes undiagnosed as 38 per cent of women only feel comfortable getting intimate health advice from online forums while 19 per cent are too embarrassed to talk to their GP. The research comes shortly after experts warned that women who use shower gels and soaps in intimate areas are putting themselves at higher risk of developing sexually transmitted infections. Researchers at the University of . California, Los Angeles, said that soaps and lubricants can damage . sensitive tissues and raise a woman’s chance of becoming infected with . herpes, chlamydia and HIV. Women who use soaps in intimate areas are putting themselves at higher risk of developing sexually transmitted infections . Study leader Joelle Brown said there is ‘mounting evidence’ that using these products internally can also increase the risk of bacterial vaginosis. Dr Brown's team recruited 141 women in Los Angeles who agreed to answer questionnaires about their product use and undergo lab tests for vaginal infections. The researchers found that 66 per cent of the women reported using lubricants and cleansers internally. The most commonly used products were sexual lubricants - 70 per cent of the product-using group used commercial lubricants, while 17 per cent reported using petroleum jelly and 13 per cent used oils. Test results showed that the women who used products not intended for internal use, such as oils and Vaseline, were more likely to have yeast and bacterial infections. For instance, 40 per cent of the women who used petroleum jelly as a lubricant had bacterial vaginosis - an infection that can be caused by a number of common bacterial species - compared to 18 per cent of women who did not insert petroleum jelly.

67% of women polled had heard of Brazilian bikini waxes, but only 39% knew of bacterial vaginosis (BV) BV affects 1 in 3 women and can cause miscarriages and premature birth if untreated during pregnancy . Also increases the risk of developing STIs .

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When federal safety investigators meet on Tuesday to determine the cause of the Asiana Flight 214 crash, they will have studied not only last summer's deadly accident but also a little-known incident years earlier. In August of 2010, Eugene Francis Arnold, one of the Federal Aviation Administration's top test pilots, was descending into Seattle's Boeing Field when he leveled off to avoid another plane. To his surprise, his speed fell 10 or 15 knots below his target speed, even though he believed the jet's automated speed control, or auto-throttle, was engaged. Arnold pushed the throttle manually to increase the plane's speed and landed safely. Arnold, investigators believe, experienced the same type of "mode confusion" that caught Asiana's pilots off guard -- at a much lower altitude -- shortly before they plowed into the sea wall at San Francisco International Airport. In both cases, the pilots believed they had selected modes of autopilot and auto-throttle that would "wake up" the auto-throttle if necessary, much as a car's cruise control kicks in when the car heads uphill. But they hadn't. Complex system . There lies the big question before the National Transportation Safety Board when it meets Tuesday: Is Boeing to blame for creating a system so complicated that it befuddled even a top FAA test pilot? Are the pilots to blame for not understanding the intricacies of the system and for failing to monitor the plane's speed? Or is Korea-based Asiana Airlines to blame for not adequately training its pilots? At a December hearing on the crash, experts told the safety board that while automation has vastly improved aviation safety, it has a flip side. The same technology that makes it possible for pilots to fly coast to coast without touching a yoke are complicated and hard to master. Thus, flying is getting easier and harder at the same time. "Automation can be extremely supportive of human operators if it is designed properly," expert Nadine Sarter of the University of Michigan testified. "But we also have seen in a number of incidents (where) automation can actually get in the way." "We have heard things like 'clumsy' automation, where automation ... helps the most when the pilot actually might need the help the least. But when they need the help the most -- in very time-critical conditions -- it might be very difficult for them to actually operate the automation," she said. Different opinions . Not surprisingly, Asiana Airlines, the pilots union, and Boeing, which manufactured the 777 involved in the crash, have starkly different opinions of what role the pilots played in the crash, and the role of automation. "The airplane and all airplane systems were functioning as expected prior to impact and did not contribute to the accident," Boeing said in a March submission to the safety board. The accident was caused by the pilots' failure to monitor and control the plane's airspeed and direction, and could have been avoided if they had initiated a timely go-around. Asiana, meanwhile, blamed Boeing and the pilots. The pilots, just three months before the accident, had received "specific instruction" about the possibility the airspeed protection would be disabled in a certain mode, Asiana said. The airline assigned blame to the pilots for not ensuring "a minimum safe airspeed," and Boeing for creating an autopilot system that led to an "unexpected disabling" of speed protections. The warning system, the airline says, also did not give the pilots enough time to recover. The Asiana Pilots Union blamed crew training, saying pilots were not trained that a combination of autopilot and auto-throttle modes would not prevent the plane from going too slowly. "In this case, a key piece of information was not provided as part of the normal training program at Asiana," the union said. Boeing said it was without fault. "All airplane systems were functioning as expected prior to impact and did not contribute to the accident," it told the safety board. Asked why the "hold" mode did not protect against dangerous drop-offs in speed, Boeing told the board, "To do this would violate (Boeing's) design philosophy: the pilot is the final authority for the operation of the airplane." "If the auto-throttle automatically (switched mode to prevent an aerodynamic stall), it would be overriding the crew's selection," Boeing said. Fly the plane manually . If pilots are confused by the technology, there is a simple solution: Fly the plane manually, Boeing said. "This accident would have been avoided had the flight crew followed procedures and initiated a timely go-around," Boeing told the safety board. What no one contests is that by the time the plane's captain recognized the plane was traveling too slowly, it was too late. At 11 seconds before impact, the plane's low airspeed alert was triggered. Eight seconds before impact, one of the pilots pushed the throttles forward. But it takes engines seven to eight seconds to spool up from idle to full power. The plane slammed into the seawall, ripping off the landing gear, the tail and both engines. It spun 330 degrees in a shower of sparks and debris. Of the 307 people on board, three died. Almost 200 were injured. Asiana Airlines fined $500,000 for failing to help families . Asiana crash victims sue Boeing .

NTSB votes Tuesday on cause of 2013 Asiana crash in San Francisco . Focus is on pilots' actions, automation . Pilots confused by auto-throttle modes . Will blame fall on pilots or designers?

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By . Gerri Peev . PUBLISHED: . 17:47 EST, 24 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:57 EST, 24 November 2013 . One in every four pounds collected in council tax in the last year has gone to funding local government pensions in England. Of the £22.4billion handed over by families in council tax in England in 2012-13, some £5.7billion went towards paying for council workers’ pensions. More than half of all council tax revenue collected in Scotland went on local government pensions in 2011-12. Uncertain future: Pensions expert Michael Johnson claims the figures are a sign that the Local Government Pension Scheme is totally unsustainable . Scottish councils paid £1billion in employer contributions for local government pensions, yet they collected just £1.9billion in council tax. The figures, unveiled by pensions expert Michael Johnson, are a sign that the Local Government Pension Scheme is totally unsustainable, he said. In a report for the Centre for Policy Studies think-tank, he warned that high costs and lax governance are corroding the pension scheme for council workers. This would ultimately end with council taxpayers or the Treasury being landed with the liabilities for paying pensions. Mr Johnson told the Mail: ‘The implications of how much is spent on pensions out of the council tax collected are enormous. There is going to be an absolute societal schism in the years ahead when you compare the average public sector worker to the average private sector worker. ‘The public sector worker’s benefits will on average be three times more than what the private sector employee gets.’ Unlike other public sector schemes, employees do contribute to the Local Government Pension Schemes. Huge disparity: For city of London council workers the administration management costs are £317.30 compared to just £7.60 in West Yorkshire . But an ageing population and a public sector pay freeze has eroded the value of those contributions. Experts predict that within three years the scheme will run out of cash. The weakest funds were already selling off assets just to bankroll existing pensioners. ‘With no realistic prospect of recovery, they are probably in a death spiral, heading to an unfunded status,’ Mr Johnson said. He warned that the ‘ultimate liability will probable fall on council taxpayers’. There was also a ‘quiet assumption … that one day, the Treasury will step in’. ‘Successive governments, irrespective of political hue, have, for decades, acted with irresponsible abandon when making provision for their own staff’s pensions. Pension promises have historically been worth roughly 35 per cent of salary, yet contributions have been only around 21 per cent: pure Madoff economics,’ he said, referring to the pyramid scheme which has been described as the biggest financial fraud of all time. Mr Johnson’s report highlighted the massive disparities in administration management costs: £13.70 in Nottinghamshire per member compared to £119.40 in Durham. Fund management costs were even more varied with City of London council workers paying £317.30 each compared to £7.60 in West Yorkshire. Mr Johnson called for some of the 101 pension schemes to be merged into several regional ones. The also queried why councils were paying so much to fund managers to actively invest their money when studies showed they provided little value when compared to ‘passive’ investments. The Mail understands that ministers and senior civil servants are closely scrutinising his recommendations. A spokesman for the Local Government Association said: ‘The problems identified in this report are already being addressed and many of the suggested reforms are underway and well advanced. ‘The LGPS is one of the lowest cost pension schemes in the country and we will continue to work very hard to improve performance and value for both taxpayers and pension fund members. The steps we are taking to make it possible to compare costs and performance between funds, and make merging easier for those funds that chose to do so, will secure the long-term viability of the scheme. ‘We are in the middle of a formal call for evidence on the future structure of the LGPS which is considering a number of issues including the size of funds, investment strategy, deficit management and cash-flow. That will result in a formal consultation early in the new year.’

Of the £22.4billion handed over by families in council tax in England in 2012-13, some £5.7billion went towards paying for council workers’ pensions . In Scotland the figures are even worse where councils paid £1billion in employer contributions but collected just £1.9billion in council tax . New figures show that high costs and lax governance are corroding the pension scheme predict that within three years it will run out of cash .

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For a manager with a reputation for caution, it seemed a very odd decision to leave out Ashley Cole and plump for a teenager with one cap. Even as Roy Hodgson tried to explain his reasons he did not seem convinced, and yet nobody will have paid more attention to these two left backs set on radically different trajectories. Luke Shaw, at 18, is rising at a breathtaking rate, a seemingly unstoppable force scouted by every top club in Europe. Cole is fading. Finished: Ashley Cole, who has 107 England caps, has retired from international football . Changing of the guard: Luke Shaw will go to the World Cup ahead of long-time left back Cole . In public, Jose Mourinho has been ultra-supportive of a man who has served him loyally. The Chelsea manager has tried his best to credit Cesar Azpilicueta rather than find fault with Cole, but the Cole of old is not replaced at left back by a right back. No more than the Cole of old is replaced at international level by Leighton Baines. No more than the Cole of old spends half an hour struggling to contain Cardiff’s Mats Daehli. Cole’s form has slipped from its very high standards. It is a trend that started last year and continued into this, amplified by the damaged confidence which comes from losing your aura of invincibility. Mourinho and Hodgson have agreed on this. That does not mean he is a spent force. Cole remains a fine player and an attractive free transfer, but Chelsea’s defenders have all been impressive within Mourinho’s strong unit. If he had played left back at Everton this season, the physical limitations of a  33-year-old with delicate ankles would have been more severely tested. Mourinho wants his full backs to defend, not bomb on, and protects them with midfield enforcers in Ramires and Nemanja Matic. Hodgson will want more from his left back, but tactical deliberations are beside the point. Cole has lost his World Cup place because he was not good enough to keep his Chelsea place. By the time he returned in late April, the England manager’s mind was made up. Give youth a chance: Roy Hodgson announced his England squad for the World Cup on Monday . Where next? Ashley Cole is resigned to leaving Chelsea this summer as his contract ends . During Cole’s absence, Hodgson studied Shaw and became convinced he was ready for international football. His emergence also fits into a broader philosophy which can serve England well. Hodgson wants to do well at the World Cup but expectations are low and he can start to extend his vision, because failing to reach Euro 2016 in France looks almost impossible given England’s group. Here is a rare luxury. Hodgson can start by enveloping the best of the young players into the framework and giving them time to train together and play together. At the same time, Shaw and Baines are exciting players. They are quite capable of rewarding the England manager for discarding his cloak of caution. Finished: Cole retired from international football having been left out of England's World Cup squad . Uncertain future: John Terry earned a new contract, but Cole and Frank Lampard are yet to receive an offer .

Ashley Cole was left out of the 23-man England World Cup squad . Luke Shaw will go to the World Cup ahead of the Chelsea defender . Cole, who has 107 caps, will retire from international football . Shaw, 18, is one of eight players in the squad aged under 24 .

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If you’re trying to keep up with the Joneses, then there soon might be another must-have item to add to your dinner party woes. Because according to those in the know, the humble salt cellar is falling out of fashion thanks to its more modern replacement – grated Himalayan pink rock salt. Mined from Himalayan rock and supposedly the purest form of salt, the so-called ‘rivsalt’ is said to resemble a precious gemstone. Himalayan rock salt is said to be the purest form of the seasoning, and is being sold by Harvey Nichols with a stainless steel grater . It comes with a Japanese stainless steel grater and an engraved natural oak holder with a transparent lid – and will set you back £25. A spokesman for department store Harvey Nichols, which is stocking the product from next week, claimed it would give people a ‘unique and original dining experience’, adding: ‘The salt is turned into faceted rocks of various sizes and shades, from rosy pink to translucent white.’ Its creators hope it will become a common sight on tables across the country, and help transform the image of salt, which they feel has been dismissed as unhealthy and unfashionable. But the sales patter failed to impress health campaigners. Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of Consensus Action on Salt and Health, said: ‘They are promoting something that is potentially dangerous for people’s health. ‘With grated salt, you end up with much larger crystals. Oddly enough, they taste less salty than fine grains so you keep adding more to your food and more salt is absorbed into your body. If you are going to eat salt, very fine crystals are better.’

Trendy seasoning comes with stainless steel grater and costs £25 . Mined from Himalayan rock it is the 'purest form of salt' in the world .

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David Axelrod is a smart guy who knows a heck of a lot about politics and the press. Robert Gibbs is also a smart guy who knows a heck of a lot about politics and the press. They will now be dispensing their wisdom as paid contributors at MSNBC, and I'll be interested in what they have to say. But I have to ask: Is NBC's cable channel turning into an Obama administration in exile? It's hardly a news flash that MSNBC long ago decided to be cable's liberal bastion, a left-wing counterweight to Fox News. But the more the studios are populated with people who worked for the president, the more the network may seem like an off-campus adjunct of the West Wing. To be sure, MSNBC was already packed with former Democratic presidential candidates, from Al Sharpton to Howard Dean. Former party chairman and Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell has also become a fixture, as well as former party spokeswoman Karen Finney. Watch: Should Fox News have hired tarnished candidate Herman Cain? But now that the president is into his second term, there is a growing band of alumni available for pundit duty. Jared Bernstein went from Joe Biden's chief economist to MSNBC talking head. Now the former senior adviser and former press secretary will be holding forth on their former boss. Occasionally, the liberals on MSNBC criticize Obama from the left. The network's few conservative commentators, such as former Republican Party chairman Michael Steele, take aim from the right. But isn't that going to be considerably harder for Axelrod and Gibbs, who have devoted their lives to this president? Gibbs tells me he sees his job "as a political analyst and as someone who has been in the room during important meetings and when big decisions are made who can convey what that's like to viewers. I don't see it either as being a cheerleader for the president or as a spokesman for the administration's point of view." Watch: Mark Sanford launches post-affair forgiveness tour . "I will be honest with my opinions and when I believe the White House has made a mistake I will say so. I'm sure no one in the White House thought my comments on Chuck Hagel's confirmation hearing were necessarily pro-Obama." Axelrod also sees himself taking a different approach: "My role is not that of a surrogate, but an analyst and commentator. I'm proud of my work for and with the president. But in this role, I will offer observations, based on my experience over 35 years in journalism and politics, and will call them as I see them." He added: "I'd also note that NBC and MSNBC have, on their roster of analysts, both Republicans and Democrats." MSNBC didn't invent this practice; Fox News is the model. For a while, it served as the Bush administration in exile, with such loyalists as Karl Rove, former U.N. ambassador John Bolton and ex-press secretary Dana Perino. Fox also provided Bush with a spokesman when the late Tony Snow made the jump from Roger Ailes' network to the White House. The Fox payroll was soon packed with potential 2012 contenders like Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, with the latter two jumping from Rupert Murdoch's team into the presidential primaries. There is no question that the high-profile platform gave them a boost. Now, Herman Cain, who left the race under a cloud after denying allegations of sexual harassment and an extramarital affair, has joined the Fox team. In his first outing the other night, Cain said 51% of Americans were "misled" into voting for Obama, prompting a dissent from Bill O'Reilly. Is this the kind of unvarnished analysis we can expect from Cain? Watch: Obama, Biden learn pitfalls of Google and Facebook chat . CNN is not exempt from this game, having provided a home for Pat Buchanan between his presidential runs and, later, hiring Bush 41 lieutenants John Sununu and Mary Matalin, Clinton alumni Paul Begala and James Carville, and W.'s press secretary, Ari Fleischer. The network also got into the disgraced ex-governor business through its ill-fated fling with Eliot Spitzer. But CNN, at least, makes a point of tapping partisans from both sides. (ABC, for its part, brought in George Stephanopoulos from the Clinton White House, and he gradually earned credibility in his new profession.) When networks employ active partisans such as Rove, who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for GOP candidates in 2012 and has now launched a new super PAC, it's fair for viewers to wonder whether their commentary is subjugated to an agenda. That was the question with Dick Morris, who was recently dumped by Fox after acknowledging that his predictions of a big Mitt Romney victory were in part an effort to boost Republican morale. Watch: How did Washington Post get the Sarah Palin story so wrong? Now that this revolving door is spinning like crazy, are current Obama staffers eyeing a television future? If so, might they be a tad nicer to a future employer? Former Time correspondent Jay Carney was a pretty good television guest before joining the administration; could he follow the well-beaten path to MSNBC? And what if Hillary Clinton gets bored giving big-money speeches? Maybe Axelrod and Gibbs will surprise me and show an independent streak as members of the commentariat. But having labored so long as fierce advocates for Barack Obama, that could be a tough transition.

David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs will become pundits for MSNBC . Howard Kurtz: Is NBC's cable channel turning into an Obama administration in exile? He says MSNBC didn't start this, Fox News did when it served as a platform for Bush officials . Kurtz: As advocates for Obama, it might be tough for Axelrod and Gibbs to show independence .

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By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:26 EST, 29 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:36 EST, 29 November 2013 . Holly Maniatty creates music — for the deaf. Teaming American Sign Language with dance moves and body language, she brings musical performances alive for those who can't hear. Her clients are a who's who of rock, pop and hip-hop: Bruce Springsteen, Eminem, Mumford and Sons, Jay-Z, Billy Joel, Marilyn Manson, U2, Beastie Boys and Wu-Tang Clan, to name a few. Along the way, videos of her fast-motion, helter-skelter signing have become popular online. There's the video of Springsteen jumping down from the stage at the New Orleans Jazz Fest and joining Maniatty and another interpreter. There, he dances and signs to 'Dancing in the Dark'. Scroll down for video . Dancing with the Boss: Holly Maniatty (left) is a professional sign language interpreter who spends nearly half the year interpreting at concerts. Above, with Bruce Springsteen in April 2012 . 'Deaf people were commenting, "Oh, the Boss knows he has deaf fans. That's awesome,"' she said. 'When artists connect with their interpreters, they also connect with their deaf fans.' In another video, rap artist Killer Mike approaches Ms Maniatty in front of the stage after noticing her animated signing. 'I've never seen that before,' he says to her before challenging her to sign a profane phrase, which she does wholeheartedly as the crowd hoots and hollers. In demand: Ms Maniatty has signed for artists from Mumford & Sons to Jay-Z . Festival season: Ms Maniatty spends most of the summer months performing at concerts and music festivals around the country including Bonaroo, the four-day music festival in Manchester, Tennessee . At a Wu-Tang performance, Method Man took notice of her signing, came down from the stage and joined her. 'He said, "That's dope," and gave me a hug and a fist pump,' she said. After studying sign language at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Ms Maniatty decided to make a career our of interpreting despite her counselor's advice against it . This month, she found herself at New England's largest drag queen show, signing as performers from all over sashayed down the runway and lip-synched to booming music. Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin, who's deaf, took to Twitter this year when she saw a video of Ms Maniatty performing at the Wu-Tang show: 'Wu tang interpreter is rapping in sign BIG time!!' The 33-year-old, who lives outside Portland, learned sign language while studying it at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. She decided to make a living of it despite counselors' advice against it. She works for a company that connects . deaf people with other people over videophones that are connected online . to computers or TVs. But from mid-April to mid-September, she travels . for paid gigs interpreting all types of music — hip-hop, rock, jazz, . country, gospel, rap. It's . hard work. To prepare for concerts and festivals, Ms Maniatty studies the . musicians for whom she'll be signing. She learns their lyrics, their . dialect, their every move. Jay-Z, for instance, is open and boisterous on stage, while Eminem slouches and drops one of his shoulders. 'As . much as you're able to study those movements and incorporate them into . your interpretation,' she said, 'you really breathe that artist in, and . it's more authentic for people'. Signing queen: Ms Maniatty signs at a variety of musical events, including a recent drag queen competition in her home of Portland, Maine .

Holly Maniatty studied sign language at Rochester Institute of Technology and decided to make a career out of translating . The Portland, Maine native now spends half of her year traveling the country to perform as an interpreter for the deaf at live concerts . She has translated at concerts for Bruce Springsteen, Eminem, Mumford and oOns, Jay-Z, Marilyn Manson, U2, the Beastie Boys and Wu-Tang Clan .

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By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 12:25 EST, 15 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:12 EST, 16 May 2012 . The Government has terminated a contract with welfare-to-work firm A4e after deciding that continuing would be 'too great a risk'. However, the company still has 11 contracts with the Government, while the one which was terminated was the smallest it held. Employment minister Chris Grayling said the company’s Mandatory Work Activity contract to help up to 1,000 jobless people in the South-East find work was being ended. The Department for Work and Pensions has been auditing its commercial relationships with A4e after receiving an allegation against the company earlier this year. 'While the team found no evidence of fraud, it identified significant weaknesses in A4e’s internal controls on the Mandatory Work Activity contract in the South-East. Employment minister Chris Grayling said A4e's Mandatory Work Activity contract to help up to 1,000 jobless people in the South-East find work was being ended. Emma Harrison resigned as chairman of A4e in February following a wake of arrests, although she has not given up her 85 per cent shareholding . 'The documentation supporting payments was seriously inadequate, and in a small number the claim was erroneous. There was also a high incidence of non-compliance with other relevant guidance (including A4e’s own processes). 'The process established prior to March fell significantly short of our expectations. As a result, the Department has concluded that continuing with this contract presents too great a risk and we have terminated the Mandatory Work Activity contract with A4e for the South-East. 'Contingency plans are in place to ensure there is continuity of support for participants in the Mandatory Work Activity programme,' said Mr Grayling. A4e is still the subject of a police investigation into allegations of fraud relating to government schemes. A number of people have been arrested by police investigating the company's offices in Slough, Berkshire, and are on bail until dates in late May, June and July. An eighth person was arrested on Monday.  Seven others are on bail until dates in late May, June and July. A4e still holds 11 long-term unemployment contracts with the Government . In the wake of those arrests, Emma Harrison resigned as chairman of A4e in February, although she has not given up her 85 per cent shareholding. A4e held the prime contract for delivery of Mandatory Work Activity in the South-East, covering Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Surrey & Sussex, Thames Valley, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.` The programme is aimed at helping Jobseeker’s allowance claimants identified as most in need of support. Participation is mandatory, with sanctions against those who fail to take part, or complete a placement. A4e is keeping other contracts it has with the Department for Work and Pensions, including those under the Work Programme, which tackles long-term unemployment. The original allegation against the company suggested that A4e employees may have claimed payments for Mandatory Work Activity (MWA) claimants who had not been placed in work. Investigations were held into every MWA claim from the office in Epsom, Surrey, where the allegation was centred, as well as 20 per cent of all the other A4e claims under the contract. It was established that 97 per cent of payments related to someone taking part in the programme, while the remaining 3 per cent were attributable to inadequate procedures rather than fraud. Emma Harrison's country mansion in Derbyshire. Mrs Harrison was made a CBE in 2010 . Mr Grayling added: 'We have made clear to A4e that we continue to require the highest standards of governance in relation to all their other contracts. 'We are reminding all our other providers of their obligations and our requirements in this regard and, should any further allegations arise, we will examine the evidence thoroughly. 'The Department will reflect on how it can further improve its processes in the light of these audits to address any remaining control risks across all contracts and providers. 'Recent coverage has also prompted complaints about service levels on past employment programmes where, unlike the Work Programme, the emphasis was on activities undertaken rather than on job outcomes. 'While this has not been part of our investigation, the Department is considering what further steps can best ensure that providers meet their minimum standards, and participants are clear about procedures for complaints.' Shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne said: 'After eight arrests at A4e, the shambles in DWP contracts is now spreading. We demanded that the Government came clean about these contracts months ago. 'Now we hear they have been forced to cancel a contract vital to helping get people back to work just as Britain has hit a double-dip recession made in Downing Street. 'The Government must now stop hiding performance information about the rest of its giant private sector contracts and publish so that Parliament can see whether public money is being well spent.' Emma Harrison was appointed back-to-work tsar by David Cameron in December 2010. Iain Duncan Smith’s department was told about fraud allegations at Ms Harrison’s company a month before she was appointed. But despite this, the PM still made her the 'families' champion'. Through her taxpayer-backed company A4e, she has banked an £8.6million dividend. Mrs Harrison, 48, who founded A4e more than 20 years ago, is worth an estimated £70million. She lives at Thornbridge Hall, a £7million mansion in Derbyshire, with her husband,Jim, 52, their four children, 11 close friends and their six children. In March, a confidential internal audit report seen by the Daily Mail painted a devastating picture of her firm. It revealed that auditors found evidence of potential fraud or rule-breaking in 13 out of 16 A4e offices they visited three years ago. In some cases, employers said they had never heard of A4e clients to whom they had supposedly given a job. In others, A4e staff were suspected of fabricating evidence in order to claim state payments for finding people work. The revelations raise serious questions about checks at the Department for Work and Pensions which has gone on to hand the firm new contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds. A4e welcomed the finding that no fraud had been identified, saying that with reviews by the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assembly Governments, this means that the majority of its business has been fully examined by external auditors. Chief executive Andrew Dutton said: 'These findings demonstrate what I have always maintained to be true - that there is no place for fraud at A4e and make it clear that A4e has strong controls around its flagship contract the Work Programme. 'Our immediate task is to further enhance our controls to cement our position as a trusted provider of front line public services. 'The findings also vindicate the hard work our 3,500 staff do - day in, day out. All over the country we’re helping tens of thousands of people into training and work, knowing we have in place robust levels of quality and assurance. 'As a company, I recognise that we haven’t got it right all of the time, but we are committed to taking responsibility for our mistakes and remedying them. 'No other provider has undergone such a thorough and forensic review of its contracts, and the positive outcome speaks for itself - this is huge reassurance for taxpayers and our customers.' A4e said that following the DWP review of its MWA contract, some specific issues were highlighted which related to a period when the company dealt with an unexpected volume of work which exceeded the anticipated monthly contract volume. 'During this time, A4e’s focus was for staff and service partners to ensure customers swiftly found effective work placements. However, in the same period, our administrative processes fell short of our own standards and those required by DWP, and to this end we have accepted that the MWA contract will be terminated.'

Department for Work and Pensions finds no evidence of fraud . But DWP terminates Mandatory Work Activity contract after finding 'significant weaknesses in A4e's internal controls' Small number of MWA claims were 'erroneous', Government finds . Police fraud probe into A4e is ongoing, with 8 arrests .

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(CNN) -- The Environmental Protection Agency will set a limit on the amount of the chemical perchlorate, as well as other "toxic contaminants," in drinking water, it announced Wednesday. The national regulation on perchlorate will reverse a 2008 decision made by President George W. Bush's administration, the agency said in a statement. It comes after EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson ordered agency scientists to review "the emerging science of perchlorate." "There's going to be a lot of scrutiny of the standard because, again, we are looking at but one of several precursors that can affect iodine uptake in the thyroid," Jackson told CNN's Chief Medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. "It's the first time we've ever regulated a chemical not because of what it does directly to you, but because it has an impact on iodine uptake that might affect your child down the road." Toxic America: Chemicals in our environment . Perchlorate is both a naturally occurring and man-made chemical, according to the EPA. It is used in fireworks, road flares, rocket fuel and may be present in bleach and some fertilizers, the agency said. Research has indicated that it can impact the thyroid and disrupt the proper development of fetuses and infants. Some states have already established limits on perchlorate in drinking water, but there has been no national standard. However, monitoring data shows more than 4% of public water systems have detected perchlorate and between 5 and 17 million people may be served drinking water containing it, the EPA said. The decision was made after considering input from nearly 39,000 public comments, the agency said. Once the EPA proposes a formal rule, it will be subject to the public comment process. In addition, the EPA is also establishing a drinking water standard on "a group of up to 16 other toxic chemicals that may cause cancer and pose serious risks to human health," the statement said. The chemicals are a group of volatile organic compounds, such as industrial solvents, and include trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene, along with other regulated and some unregulated substances "discharged from industrial operations." The move is part of a Drinking Water Strategy laid out by Jackson last year, the agency said. The strategy included addressing contaminants as a group so that their presence in drinking water could be addressed "cost-effectively." "Today's action delivers on the promise to strengthen public health protection from contaminants in drinking water," according to the EPA. "The aim is to find solutions that meet the health and economic needs of communities across the country more effectively than the current approach." Jackson said in the statement she believes the decision will spark new innovations. "As improved standards are developed and put in place, America's world-leading clean water technology innovators have an opportunity to create cutting edge solutions that will strengthen health protections and spark economic growth."

The agency will set a national standard for perchlorate in water . An estimated 4% of water systems contain the chemical . The EPA will also set regulations on a group of other chemicals .

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After yesterday's woeful performance in the 3-0 Community Shield defeat by Arsenal, Manchester City fans may be tempted to press the panic button before the season has even begun. But don't worry too much, City fans, with your star names still to return and history on your side, this could yet transpire to be yet another glorious season for Manuel Pellegrini's men.... VIDEO Scroll down to watch new City signing Mangala score brilliant back heel volley . Not the best start: Manchester City players head up the Wembley steps to receive their runners-up medal following  a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday . 1. Best players still to return . Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna, Vincent Kompany, Martin Demichelis, Frank Lampard, Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero were all rested after their World Cup exertions. Other star names such as Joe Hart and David Silva only started on the bench. Many of those players would walk into and transform City's starting line-up. Don't expect to see too much more of Dedryck Boyata and Matija Nastasic in a Manchester City shirt this season. Suited not booted: Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, Fernandinho, Alvaro Negredo and Bacary Sagna of Manchester City watch the 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield from a Wembley executive box . Touchline chat: Vincent Kompany talks to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger ahead of the match . 2. City were slow starters last season . The Champions lost four of their first 11 games last season and Manuel Pellegrini's side were languishing in 8th position by the middle of November. They were even below David Moyes' Manchester United by that stage. As with all the best title winners, they clicked into gear when it truly mattered, losing only two of their last 27 matches and winning their last five. There will be no panic at Manchester City, although clashes against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea before the end of September will call for a vast improvement. Slow starters: Manuel Pellegrini's side took a little time to get going last season but ended up as champions . VIDEO My team weren't ready - Pellegrini . Just champion: Vincent Kompany lifts the Premier League trophy on the final day last season . 3. Eliaquim Mangala is set to arrive . The Frenchman will add further pace and athleticism to the City rearguard and is expected to form an outstanding partnership with Vincent Kompany. It was a problem position for Pellegrini for much of last season - although Demichelis did come good in the end - and the Chilean will be relieved to now have two centre-backs of elite standing in his ranks. Incoming: City are set to complete the signing of Porto's Eliaquim Mangala to strengthen their defence . 4. The Community Shield is not the best indicator . Come on, now, even David Moyes' Manchester United won it last year. More pertinently, the last time City lost in the Community Shield - in the summer of 2011 - they went on to win the Premier League title. When they won the Community Shield against Chelsea the following summer, they then surrendered their crown and lost to Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup final. False dawn: David Moyes lifted the Community Shield this time last year but his tenure at United was a disaster . 5. History suggests the Treble is on . The last team to lose a Community Shield 3-0? The Manchester United team that would go on to win the treble in 1999. On that summer's day in 1998, United were defeated by a Nicholas Anelka-inspired Arsenal. So don't worry too much City fans. Oh, and some bad news for giddy Arsenal followers...the Gunners failed to win the Premier League on the four previous occasions they lifted the Charity or Community Shield (1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2002-2003, 2004-05). No form guide: Arsenal won the 1998 Charity Shield 3-0 against Man United, but Alex Ferguson's side went on to win a Treble of the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup that season .

Manchester City were well beaten 3-0 by Arsenal in the Community Shield . But Manuel Pellegrini's side were missing a number of star names . Vincent Kompany, Sergio Aguero, Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta, Frank Lampard and Fernandinho are all still to return . City were slow starters last season but went on to win Premier League title . Eliaquim Mangala will arrive imminently from Porto . Community Shield is rarely a barometer of how season will go .

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"I can't breathe" has become a new slogan in protests against alleged police brutality after a grand jury declined to indict a police officer in the death of Eric Garner. Garner said it eight times while restrained on the ground by several officers. Police say Garner resisted arrest and video shows him asking police not to harass or touch him after they confronted him on a sidewalk. Here's a transcript of his last words: . "Get away [garbled] ... for what? Every time you see me, you want to mess with me. I'm tired of it. It stops today. Why would you...? Everyone standing here will tell you I didn't do nothing. I did not sell nothing. Because every time you see me, you want to harass me. You want to stop me (garbled) Selling cigarettes. I'm minding my business, officer, I'm minding my business. Please just leave me alone. I told you the last time, please just leave me alone. please please, don't touch me. Do not touch me." Video of the arrest shows four officers wrestling Garner to the ground and restraining him. " I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe," he said, as officers restrained him. Videos document Garner's last moments .

"I can't breathe," has become a new slogan in protests against police brutality . Eric Garner said it eight times while being restrained by police . He had asked them to leave him alone before being wrestled to the ground . A grand jury declined to indict a police officer is his death .

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By . Chris Pleasance . The key to any good flashmob is the element of surprise, but for these tricksters the surprise was on them when police turned up and began arresting everyone. Prank group Improv Everywhere ran into trouble while pretending to be shop mannequins in a Manhattan branch of Gap after an employee called police. Around 40 people went into the shop dressed in Gap clothing with white bodysuits underneath, before zipping the suits up at a predetermined time and posing next to genuine mannequins. Scroll down for video . Members of a flashmob posing as shop mannequins in a Gap store in Manhattan were handcuffed by police after a member of staff called the authorities . The stunt involved around 40 people who were all asked to go to the store wearing gap clothes and bodysuits . The participants all went into the store separately before zipping the suits up at a predetermined time . While members of the public and some Gap staff were filmed finding the stunt amusing, it wasn't long before one shop assistant called 911. Concerned by a spate of burglaries disguised as flashmobs at other nearby stores, officers promptly cuffed around 20 of the human mannequins before laying them out on the floor. 'We were very surprised at the response,' Improv Everywhere founder Charlie Todd told Mashable. 'It was distressing to see these people who were just helping me out down on the floor in handcuffs.' However, when cops realised people were just part of an innocent stunt, they decided to let them go. The store manager said he considered banning the participants for life, but had decided against it. They then posed next to genuine mannequins dotted around the store (the fake mannequin is on the right) Initially members of the public and staff were filmed laughing at the trick (fake mannequin is on the far right) At a glance the intruders are almost indistinguishable from the real thing (fakes are left, in glasses, and right) By strange coincidence, it turned out that one policeman recognised some of the group's organisers, because he had taken part in one of their flashmobs last summer. On that occasion 7,000 people dressed up like tourists and went to New York's South Street Seaport as part of an MP3 experiment. They were asked to download a track on to their MP3 player, then press play at a predetermined time and follow the instructions they were given. Improv Everywhere has carried out roughly 20 pranks in stores including Staples, Macy's and Starbucks, all of which passed off without much of a fuss. While some people remained oblivious to what was going on, it wasn't long before one staff member called police . By coincidence it turned out that there had been a spate of robberies nearby disguised as flashmobs, so when cops arrived they placed around 20 of the mannequins in handcuffs and laid them on the floor . However, after establishing it was just a harmless prank, officers let the participants go. By coincidence, it turned out that one policeman had actually taken part in another of the group's flashmobs last summer . The last time police were called in was during a prank at Best Buy eight years ago when participants dressed up like employees and stood around the store helping members of the public out. While nobody was handcuffed on that occasion, they were all forced to leave the store after staff became concerned.

Prank group Improv Everywhere targetted Manhattan Gap in latest stunt . Around 40 people went into the store in bodysuits to pose as mannequins . Zipped their suits up at a prearranged time and posed next to real models . Shoppers and staff initially found it funny but one assistant called police . Officers placed 20 people in handcuffs and laid them out on the floor . By coincidence there had been a spate of robberies disguised as flashmobs . However when police realised it was an innocent prank everyone was let go .

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The mother of a beggar raking in money by using a chip and pin machine to target celebrities and millionaires described her son as a 'survivor,'  it has been reported. Damien Preston-Booth, who is on benefits, has the portable card reader to accept donations because the rich 'don't carry much cash.' The 37-year-old, who claims to be homeless, has enjoyed holidays in Paris, Ibiza, Bruges and Monaco in the last year after camping outside upmarket nightclubs and restaurants in London's Mayfair. His mother Elaine Hart, 54, who is also on benefits after losing her job as a cleaner, praised her son for using the chip and pin machine,The Sun reported. 'Fair play to him,' the mum-of-three from Salford, Manchester, reportedly  told the newspaper. 'He seems to have grown up like me and is a survivor. No one would think to use a card machine as a beggar so good on him.' On his Facebook page Mr Preston-Booth posted a picture of himself with music mogul Simon Cowell in the West End with the caption: 'Simon didn't give me 50 pounds it was 20'. Professional beggar: Damien Preston-Booth, 37, commutes from Preston to London to beg in Mayfair and is pictured here taking money from Simon Cowell and offering him a sweet in return . Celebrities: Mr Preston-Booth is pictured here with Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh outside a Mayfair club . Defence: Mr Preston-Booth said that the music mogul gave him £20 and he has also admitted he has a chip and pin card reader for 'regulars' Mr Preston-Booth travels by bus, train or rental car from Preston in Lancashire to Mayfair and spends Thursdays to Sundays taking cash from passers-by and card payments from 'regulars'. He was last seen in the area over Christmas and New Year, local businesses have said. He usually finds a spot outside a Lebanese restaurant but is said to book into a nearby hotel if the weather is inclement. Upset: A friend claims the beggar, pictured in Spain, is 'taking everyone for a ride' and made around £4,500 over the New Year period - including £1,000 from a rich Arab outside the Dorchester Hotel . Using the cash he has travelled to Monaco, Paris, Ibiza and Bruges in the past six months. A friend claims he is 'taking everyone for a ride' and made around £4,500 over the New Year period - including £1,000 from a rich Arab outside the Dorchester Hotel. The 37-year-old is renting a £300-a-month flat but appears to have been saying he has been homeless for five years. Mr Preston-Booth is also believed to be on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) for his depression, which could earn him up to £108 a week. It is now likely he will face a benefit fraud investigation, a Government source told MailOnline. Mr Preston-Booth has been contacted for comment by MailOnline. Other beggars have said that they are 'scared' of Mr Preston-Booth, who denies he is a bully and claims he gives cash to others on the streets. His Facebook profile shows he has been flying all over Europe since the summer and he told online friends he had a 'great year'. In July pictures show he spent time in Ibiza and came home to the UK via Paris. A month later he spent some time in Monaco. Mr Preston-Booth says he is £100-a-fortnight in benefits for depression and denies he is pocketing thousands from his begging activities. He told James Mills from The Sun: 'I'm saving up for a little flat and I'm trying to get a CV together so I can get a job. 'I have nothing to hide. I've been homeless and I did beg while I was in London and I have been down since I got my flat in October. I do it to buy things for the flat — not like smackheads who spend it on drugs and beers'. He said his trips abroad were to look for work and he slept rough and got his chip and pin reader when he was selling the Big Issue. His main haunt appears to be the Mamounia Lounge on Curzon Street - a hotspot for the rich and famous. Chief porter Emil Staykov, 45, told the Evening Standard said: 'That guy is really arrogant. He asks our customers for money as they go in and then sleeps in the doorway. 'I have called the police on him loads of times and have been tempted just to throw him out myself. I knew he had money, he always had two phones. 'He was horrible to the restaurant staff but would then be all smiles and jokes with the customers so they gave him money. That is a guy I do not like. We do not want him back'. Well travelled:Mr Preston-Booth has spent time in Ibiza, left, and in Paris, right, in the past six months . Jetting off: The beggar was pictured here at Stansted last year but said his trips abroad were to find work . New home: The beggar says his begging helps him by things for his new £300-a-month flat . Yesterday The Sun said he bought himself a coffee machine, a bathroom cabinet and a plug in grill with more than £100 in total for his new flat. Friends defended him today and one said: 'Everybody has to earn a living damo. There's no judgement here pal'. A female friend told him in an online message: 'You're brill Damien' and another said: 'Damien, you are a legend!' Mayfair business owners alleged Damien Preston-Booth would even arrive in his car before pounding the streets pretending to be disabled to rake in thousands of pounds on the streets of Mayfair. Damien Preston-Booth, 37, is believed to be on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) for his depression, which could earn him up to £108 a week. The Government allows ESA to be paid to people of working age who are too ill to work because of a health condition or disability. You must be under state pension age, not getting statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay and not receiving any jobseeker's allowance. In order to qualify you will have be assessed and after that can earn another £104 a week on top of your benefits for certain types of work. But Mr Preston-Booth's begging - which is illegal in Britain and punishable by a £1,000 fine - could be considered benefit fraud. The Department for Work and Pensions told MailOnline it never comments on individual cases. However a spokesman said: 'Benefit fraud is a crime and our fraud investigaters will look into all suspected cases. 'If you suspect someone of claiming benefits fraudulently you can report it to the Benefit Fraud Hotline on National Benefit Fraud Hotline 0800 854 440'. Manager Emile Salame said: 'He's a clever man – he speaks to the tourists with a bit of French, Spanish or Arabic. 'When the Arabs come over in the summer he says hello to them in Arabic and gets some money. I've seen some of those guys give him £50 at a time. 'I did wonder if he is homeless. He has two or three phones, an iPad, a camera. We see him outside every night but we've not seen him since last week. He's always on the move but he stays in this area. 'As a homeless man I don't think he should be doing that with the card machine. He told me it was given to him by the Big Issue. 'We've given him sandwiches and hot drinks before but we've had to get the police to move him on from sleeping right outside the restaurant. 'He drives a car though and one morning I even saw him arrive and get coffee out of the back of his car for some police officers. 'I don't think it's fair what he is doing. We all work hard and pay taxes and it pays to help out the genuine homeless people. 'I've seen him acting up and hobbling down the road before and pretending to be disabled, even though there is nothing wrong with him. 'And he dresses up for the occasion, so at Christmas he was wearing a Santa outfit. He's a real entrepreneur, he's making a real business out of it.' Police are looking to ban a fraudulent beggar from Mayfair. Local businesses have grown fed-up with his behaviour and now police are urging them to put their complaints in writing to help them secure a ban against him. The 37-year-old was moved on by officers after allegedly harassing a customer at Noura on December 20. Mr Salame received a note from local officers asking him to fill out a business impact statement to help them apply for a criminal behaviour order against Preston-Booth that would prevent him from operating in the area. He said: 'We are in the process of putting together everything in writing. It is not fair when we are trying to run a business and he is simply irritating customers. 'He was harrassing one of the female customers sitting outside, he was insisting on sitting with her and it wasn't really on. 'We called the police and we have an ongoing thing with them about harassment. He's a naughty person, he should be more respectful, especially with what he gets out of the area.'

Damien Preston-Booth commutes from Preston to London to beg for cash . Unemployed man, 37, takes cash from tourists, rich and famous in Mayfair . His mother reportedly branded him a 'survivor' and said 'fair play to him' He said today: 'Simon Cowell didn't give me £50 it was £20' Preston-Booth rents £300-a-month flat but still begs for money in London . He said: 'I do it to buy things for the flat — not like smackheads who spend it on drugs and beers' Department for Work and Pensions expected to launch benefit fraud probe . Police are considering whether to seek order to ban beggar from Mayfair . Friends have rallied around him calling him a 'legend' and 'clever'

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(CNN) -- Don't miss a goal during Euro 2008! Get all the latest goals and match updates on CNN's Euro 2008 mobile site: http://cnnmobile.com/euro2008 . Plus, the first 10,000 people to sign up will get FREE SMS goal and match alerts. To subscribe, send a SMS to +447800001266 with your favorite team's country code as the message: AT, CH, CZ, DE, ES, FR, GR, HR, IT, NL, PL, PT, RO, RU, SE, TR. To unsubscribe, send a SMS with text 'ALERTS STOP' to +447800001266. For questions about the service e-mail help@cnnmobile.com . Visit http://cnnmobile.com for more details. For terms and conditions, click here.

Get goal alerts, Euro 2008 news on the move at http://cnnmobile.com/euro2008 . Visit http://cnnmobile.com/ for details about using CNN Mobile .

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(Rolling Stone) -- The company that owns "American Idol" is restructuring in light of the show's ratings drop and developing projects for its other assets, including the creative exploitation of Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali, the New York Times reports. CKx, which will change its name to Core Media Group, has especially big plans in store for Presley: an upgrade of the Graceland museum is in the works, as well as a possible drama series based on the singer's early life. Core is also in talks with Sony about a potential duets album, which would pair contemporary singers with Presley in much the same way that past duets albums have done with Frank Sinatra. A subsequent tour may see singers performing alongside an Elvis hologram. Meanwhile, Core is also planning a revamp of "Idol," which comes on the tail of the show's 30% ratings decline in its 11th season this year. The drop coincides with the rise of newer singing competitions, like NBC's "The Voice" and Fox's "The X Factor." "'Idol' is still the gold standard," Core's new president Marc Graboff told the Times. "It's very viable, but it definitely needs to be refreshed and it will be." Graboff says the company will reteam with original "Idol" creator Simon Fuller to help make the changes, which include a likely overhaul of "Idol's" voting system. The current one has produced winners of a similar profile for five seasons straight, most recently 21-year-old Georgia rocker Phillip Phillips. "They're being called W.G.W.G.'s -- white guys with guitars," said Graboff. It's possible that the judges panel (currently Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson) will see a change, too, said Graboff -- but that decision falls under the purview of Fox, which broadcasts "Idol." "We hope it will stay as big a revenue stream as it has been," said Graboff. "But no matter how big the stream is, my job is to diversify us away from it as much as possible." See the full story at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone.

Core Media Group is planning a possible drama series based on Elvis Presley . The company owns "American Idol" Core is also planning a revamp of "Idol"

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(CNN) -- A community in tears. That's how the mayor of Las Vegas described her city after a husband-and-wife team gunned down two police officers and a civilian. The officers were on their lunch break at a pizza place. They had no time to react. The third victim, a civilian, attempted to confront the couple at a nearby Walmart, and died in the process. A day after the killings, the three were being remembered Monday for their sacrifice and service. "We're a community in tears here. I will tell you these were wonderful officers," said Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman. Here's a closer look at those killed: . Alyn Beck, 41 . Officer Beck, 41, joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) in August 2001. His friends say he was a good person, always willing to lend a hand. "He was always about service. He was the funnest guy. He was, you know, you think of some people who are good in eulogy only, and Alyn is the absolute opposite of that. "Alyn is easy to eulogize because that's all he was, was good," said Tracy Smith, a friend. Beck is survived by his wife and three children. Igor Soldo, 31 . Officer Soldo joined the police department in April 2006. He attended high school in Lincoln, Nebraska, and worked as a corrections officer before joining the force. Described by family as a good father and a great man, Soldo is survived by his wife and baby. He and Beck were on their lunch break at a CiCi's Pizza when authorities say Jerad and Amanda Miller came into the restaurant and opened fire on the officers at close range. "I think you can all imagine if this happened to one of your loved ones what just that impact might be. They're trying to process what is it that has taken place," Sheriff Doug Gillespie said about the victims' families. "They have good support but it's going to be a difficult road -- two young families and their fathers are no longer there." Joseph Wilcox, 31 . After the Millers shot the officers, they fled to a Walmart where Jerad Miller allegedly fired one round and told everyone to get out. Wilcox, who was in the store and who was carrying a concealed weapon, moved to confront the shooter. But he didn't realize Jerad Miller was not alone. Authorities say Amanda Miller shot Wilcox, killing him. "Joseph died attempting to protect others. His death is completely senseless," Sheriff Gillespie told reporters. Wilcox's sister, CJ Foster, said her brother was pro-gun and believed guns don't kill people -- people kill people. "He did a very brave thing and I'm very proud of him. I'm proud to call him my brother," she said. Jeremy Tanner, a friend, was with Wilcox at the Walmart before the shooting started. "Joseph had the option to go left and exit the store to safety, but he instead went into the store and chased after the gunman," he told CNN. "I wanted to tell him: 'Don't do this. Come with me.' But I also felt that he's possibly going to be saving some lives." CNN's Stephanie Elam contributed to this report.

Two police officers -- Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo -- were killed on their lunch break . Both were husbands and fathers . A civilian also is killed; his sister says Joseph Wilcox was brave . Wilcox attempted to confront a shooter in a Walmart store .

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The North Carolina man who was trapped under his SUV for 17 hours after it tumbled 60-feet off a cliff is recovering well after having his leg amputated. Joe Woodring, 21, fell asleep at the wheel driving last month in Boone when he came off the road and came to found pinned under the car for almost a day until someone heard his cries and phoned 911. During his ordeal he managed to survive by making a pillow out the grass he was surrounded by and used his pocket knife to cut the lining of the seat to make a blanket. Scroll Down for Video . Thumbs up to recovery: Joe Woodring lets his family now that despite his accident he is feeling better every day . Rescue: After 17-hours pinned underneath his SUV, Joe Woodring was rescued by emergency services in North Carolina . Pulled from the wreckage: Joe Woodring is taken by stretcher from the upturned SUV and taken to an ambulance . Pulled from the wreck: Joe is transported from the crumpled SUV to a small truck that will take him to safety . 'From the time it stopped (rolling), he was awake and conscious,' said his aunt Trish Miller to ABC News. 'He was very smart. He caught rain water in a little can to drink.....he's definitely a survivalist.' Following on from the October 28 crash, Woodring has been recovering at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. As part of that process doctors unfortunately couldn't save his leg and it was amputated above the knee. End result: This is Joe's SUV being dragged away from the scene at Boone, North Carolina in late October . He is currently undergoing physical therapy and should be able to return home back to his grandfather in two weeks. 'When we comes home, he'll be in a wheelchair for a while,' said his grandmother, Tempie Ruth Woodring to ABC News. 'Then they'll work on getting him a leg.' While he continues his recover, Joe has told his family that the thing he misses the most is hunting. "He and my oldest son, Ethan, they're best friends and they had been planning their hunting strategies for this year," Miller said. "So this has put a damper on that but they're looking forward to next year." "He knows it's going to be a rough road for a while," she added. "But he knows he's going to be able to walk again. He's got that drive. And technology today is limitless."

Joe Woodring, 21, fell asleep at the wheel driving in Boone, North Carolina . Careened 60-feet off cliff face and found himself pinned under his SUV . His aunt described him as a 'survivalist' for keeping himself alive . His screams alerted passers by and they managed to alert authorities .

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Washington (CNN) -- Narrow passage of a sweeping health care bill by the House of Representatives portends a continuing difficult fight for President Obama and fellow Democrats to get a bill through the Senate and into law. The House voted 220-215 late Saturday, with 39 Democrats opposed and one Republican in favor, to approve what would be the biggest expansion of health care coverage since Medicare was created more than 40 years ago. The Affordable Health Care for America Act, or H.R. 3962, restricts insurance companies from denying coverage to anyone with a pre-existing condition or charging higher premiums based on gender or medical history. It also provides federal subsidies to those who cannot afford it. And it guarantees coverage for 96 percent of Americans, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. But turning the bill into law remains uncertain. The Senate must now pass its own version of a health care bill, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada last week signaled uncertainty over whether that will happen this year. Once both chambers have passed a bill, a congressional conference committee will merge the two proposals into a consensus version that would require final approval from each chamber and Obama's signature. On Sunday, Obama praised the "historic" House vote to pass the bill and called on the Senate to "take the baton" and complete its work. "For years, we've been told that this couldn't be done," Obama said, citing the decades of failed health care reform efforts. "Last night, the House proved differently." The president called the support by many House members "courageous" in the face of "the heated and often misleading rhetoric around this legislation." "Now it falls on the United States Senate to take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people," Obama said. "And I'm absolutely confident that they will." However, Republicans and an independent senator who sits with the Democratic caucus signaled Sunday that difficulties remain for Obama on his top domestic priority. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, reiterated that he would join a Republican filibuster against a health care bill if it contains a government-run public health insurance option after the chamber's amendment process. Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Lieberman called the controversial public option, which is in the House bill and the Senate version being prepared by Reid, an unnecessary provision intended to bring government-run health insurance in the future. "If the public option is in there, as a matter of conscience, I will not allow the bill to come to a final vote," Lieberman said. He previously has said he won't oppose opening Senate debate on the bill despite the public option provision, and he maintained that stance Sunday. Lieberman's stance is crucial because the Democratic caucus has the minimum 60 votes to overcome a Republican filibuster. Senate Republicans unanimously oppose the public option, though Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine has floated the possible compromise idea of a trigger mechanism that would mandate a public option in the future if thresholds for expanded coverage and lower costs go unmet. The lone House Republican who supported the bill, Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, told CNN on Sunday he put the needs of his district over the desire of his party. Cao's "yes" vote ended up being unnecessary for House Democrats, but it gave House Speaker Nancy Pelosi license to tout bipartisan support for the controversial measure. "I felt last night's decision was the proper decision for my district, even though it was not the popular decision for my party," said Cao, a first-term representative from Louisiana's traditionally Democratic 2nd District. "A lot of my constituents are uninsured, a lot of them are poor. It was the right decision for the people of my district." Cao acknowledged he extracted some White House pledges to help his district deal with the continuing effects of Hurricane Katrina in exchange for his vote. Asked about the reaction of fellow Republicans, Cao said the party's leaders "respect my decision, and I respect theirs." Also Sunday, Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, the chamber's third-ranking Republican, said on the Fox program that Democrats were ignoring the wishes of the American public by pushing through the huge health care bill. Pence said the health care bill would raise costs, increase the deficit and lead to a government takeover of the health care system. "I think the American people are deeply frustrated with the liberal establishment in Washington," Pence said. "If Democrats keep ignoring the American people, their party's going to be history." Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland responded on the same show that the Congressional Budget Office reported that the House bill would reduce the deficit. Van Hollen chided Republicans for failing to confront rising health care costs harming the U.S. economy during the years they controlled the White House and Congress. "We've had a great system for insurance companies," Van Hollen said, citing large industry profits as Americans face what he called unfair practices such as having coverage denied for pre-existing conditions. "This is a message to the American people; we're trying to bring down your costs to help more Americans afford health insurance." The House vote less than an hour before midnight Saturday was full of drama. With eight seconds left in the voting period, Democrats began counting down and erupted in roars when Pelosi declared, "The bill is passed" and banged the gavel. Republican lawmakers stood silently across the floor, some with their arms folded across their chests. "Well, it was about what I thought it would be," said House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio as he quickly exited. Later, he issued a statement saying the $1.2 trillion legislation would add to the country's "skyrocketing" debt. "I came here to renew the American Dream, so my kids and their kids have the same opportunities I had," Boehner said. "I came here to fight big-government monstrosities like this bill that dim the light of freedom and diminish opportunity for future generations." Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, released an equally tersely worded statement. "Nancy Pelosi and her liberal lieutenants made a lot of promises today to get the votes they desperately needed," he said. "Make no mistake -- the Democrat leadership's assurances were based on political expediency, not principle. Anyone receiving a promise from Pelosi is guaranteed to be disappointed in the end when their votes are no longer needed." Earlier in the day, Obama met behind closed doors with Democrats to shore up support for the bill, calling it a chance of a generation. In the run-up to the vote, Republicans and conservative Democrats joined forces to pass an amendment to the bill to prohibit federal funds for abortion services. It was considered a big win for them and for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which used its power -- especially with conservative Democrats in swing congressional districts -- to help force Democratic leaders to permit a vote on the amendment. The prohibition, introduced by Democratic members -- including Rep. Brad Ellsworth of Indiana and Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan -- would exclude cases of rape, incest or if the mother's life is in danger. The GOP accounted for 174 of the votes in favor of the amendment, with one Republican voting "present." On the Democrats' side, 64 voted for the measure, and 194 voted against. CNN's Shirley Hung, Brianna Keilar, Deirdre Walsh, Lisa Desjardins and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report.

House voted 220-215 late Saturday to approve Affordable Health Care for America Act . 39 Democrats opposed act, one Republican voted for it . Measure now moves to Senate, where support is less certain . If both chambers pass a bill, committee will merge the two proposals .

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By . James Slack . Passport Office boss Paul Pugh offered a belated apology yesterday and admitted he had considered resigning over the shambles. Under hostile questioning from MPs, the chief executive – who is paid more £100,000-a-year – said he was 'sorry' for every case where service standards had not been met. But he denied presiding over an organisation in chaos - and insisted a backlog of around 480,000 cases was 'work in progress'. Apology: The head of the Passport Office, Paul Pugh gives evidence to Commons Home Affairs Committee at Portcullis House in London . Asked about images leaked by a whistle-blower, which showed boxes of passport applications piled up in Liverpool, Mr Pugh said the picture showed a 'well ordered, well controlled' holding area. He also defended the decision to launch a 'witch hunt' investigation to find the whistle-blower – saying anybody who had 'unauthorised contact with the media' must be identified. During a stormy session before Westminster's home affairs committee, Mr Pugh was repeatedly accused of putting holiday-makers summer holiday plans in jeopardy. Last week alone, 16,500 of the 165,000 passports that were issued were sent out late. Committee chairman Keith Vaz asked: 'Would you like to take this opportunity to apologise to all those who have been waiting? 'I have a sheaf of letters from members of the public, from members of parliament, who are very, very angry. You don't seem to recognise the fact that people are very upset and angry. Would you like to apologise?' Grilling: During a stormy session before Westminster's home affairs committee, Mr Pugh was repeatedly accused of putting holiday-makers summer holiday plans in jeopardy . Mr Pugh replied: 'I absolutely . recognise the anger and distress that some people have suffered and I . would like to put on record that yes, in every case where we haven't met . our service standards, where we haven't been able to meet the . customer's needs, yes, certainly, we are sorry for that.' 'Mr . Vaz, who revealed he had been forced to personally text the Home . Secretary to sort out the case of one constituent, asked: 'We can take . that as an apology?' 'Mr Pugh, who promised not to take a bonus next year, replied: 'It is an apology.' 'Labour MP Paul Flynn asked Mr Pugh if he had considered resigning, since that was what members of the public hit by the debacle would want.' 'He said he had considered quitting but it was his responsibility to lead the Passport Office through 'tough times. Mr Pugh denied a surge in citizenship approvals to migrants, who can then apply for their first passport, was to blame for the problem. 'He also insisted the decision to stop issuing passports from Britain's embassies overseas was not to blame. However, he admitted forecasts on the impact this decision would have had proved wrong. 'Officials had predicted an extra 350,000 cases would be dealt with in Britain. In fact, the figure was likely to be closer to 400,000. 'Mr Pugh could soon be facing a new crisis, MPs were told, as union leaders threaten to order a walkout at the Passport Office. Mike Jones, Home Office group secretary at the PCS Union, said senior officials wanted up to 600 new jobs and pay rises for their members. He said that, if managers do not open negotiations, the union could ballot for industrial action. Labour MP Ian Austin warned him this would cause severe inconvenience to 'hard-working families' who deserve a summer break. Mr Pugh said a strike would be 'extremely damaging to our customers and our public.' 'He denied claims by the PCS that a reduction of around 550 in the number of staff working in the Passport Office between 2010 and 2014 was to blame'In comments likely to infuriate the union, he said that, four years ago, some staff did not have enough work to do and would spend their days 'reading books'. Mr Jones said the Passport Office had 'lost control' of the backlog.' He said that at June this year the number of applications logged as work-in-progress stood at 493,289, up from 289,892 in March. This compares to 146,586 applications in June last year and 72,586 in March 2013.' 'MPs were frustrated that Mr Pugh had failed to deliver his own detailed figures to the committee. 'They set him a deadline of Friday lunchtime to comply.

Paul Pugh offered a belated apology when he was grilled by MPs . But he denied presiding over an organisation in chaos . He insisted 480,000 case backlog was 'work in progress'

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(CNN) -- As always, Mobile World Congress, the world's largest mobile telephone extravaganza, is being held in Barcelona this year. But it really should be held in Geneva, close to where Mary Shelley created Frankenstein. That's because, with our increasing addiction to our mobile phones, we are in danger of creating a monster that we are less and less able to control. Exaggeration? When was the last time you went out without your smartphone? How naked, how lost, do you feel without your mobile device? How much essential data, I mean really personal stuff that you wouldn't want anyone else to see, does your mobile phone contain? Expect all the noise this week in Barcelona to be about more powerful phones from Nokia, HTC, Samsung and LG. These hardware companies will articulate the benefits of their technology in terms of "personal empowerment." But the real truth behind these increasingly intelligent devices is personal disempowerment. Such is the eerie reality of a phone that you can't live without. Read more: Full coverage of Mobile World Congress . Some of the problems with our cellphones are already well known. Last November, for example, the American epidemiologist and writer Dr Devra Davis told me about her research claiming that our cellphones could be giving us cancer. Then there was Robert Vamosi, the security expert, who explained to me how our mobile gadgets were spying on us. Vamosi even authored a book last year about this, entitled "How Our Technologies Betray Us: The Dark Side of Our Infatuation With New Technologies." Vamosi isn't exaggerating about this dark side. There's an entire ecosystem developing around our mobile devices designed to spy on us. The Wall Street Journal ran a chilling series entitled "What They Know" which revealed how our Apple iPhones and Google Android devices were watching our every move. The surveillance and the mobile phone industries, The Journal indicated, are becoming ever more indistinguishable. Every day now seems to reveal a new mobile data scandal. Only this week, for example, it was reported that Facebook, Flickr and other app makers were reading our text messages without our permission. The real problem with these phones is their increasing intelligence. Just as Google is designing the self-driving car, so tomorrow's cell phone will become more and more all-knowing. By 2015 not only will there by seven billion mobile devices in the world, but they will -- empowered by artificial intelligence features like Apple's Siri personal assistant and Evi, its new British competitor -- become more and more indistinguishable from the human brain. "What we're talking about is a complete physical interface to the digital and virtual worlds," the futurist Richard Hammond told CNN. "So we need to bring more brains onto the device," Hammond explained, "so we can provide more relevant information when needed ... based on artificial intelligence. Because that's the kind of technology that brings the device closer our own reasoning capabilities." But do any of us really want our cell phones to have our "reasoning capabilities?" Do we want to create mobile devices in our own image? No, we don't, I suspect. Especially since, as mobile ad industry experts acknowledged to CNN, this will involve the creepiest kind of compromises, allowing them to eavesdrop and record every aspect of the lives we reveal to the world through our mobile devices. At one point, I wonder, do increasingly intelligent and autonomous cell phones incorporate such sophisticated intelligence that they become indistinguishable from us? At what point will we find ourselves in a world described by the Russian-American satirist Gary Shteyngart in "Super Sad True Love Story" where everyone carries a mobile device called an "apparat" that is able to identify the most intimate details of a stranger's life? Meanwhile, my earlier Frankenstein allusion is already being used by writers to describe our digital future. The best-selling writer, Robert Harris, did indeed base "The Fear Index" his latest thriller in Geneva, the scene of Shelley's Frankenstein. But whereas Harris imagines a world of massive computers acquiring human reasoning, a much scarier scenario is one in which this algorithmic power has been so miniaturized that it can be put inside our mobile devices. Hammond even suggests that this intelligence will become so indistinguishable from us that it will actually become part of us -- fashionable spectacles will provide visual displays, earring studs the audio and a third device will touch input. He then warns us about a future in which virtual reality will become so mobile that we will be able to wear it under our skin. So what to do? How can we stop our phones becoming Frankenstein-like extensions of ourselves? Yes, there is a need for legislation fighting our snooping mobile devices. I'm in favor, for example, of U.S. President Barack Obama's privacy bill of rights, and particularly his "Do Not Track" legislation which he unveiled last week. And I applaud the work of legislators like EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding and Minnesota Congressman Al Franken who are aggressively looking into the information-collecting practices of Google, Apple and the other big data companies in the mobile ecosystem. But the growing omniscience of our mobile devices isn't just a political issue. "Practice safe phone" to combat their cancerous impact, Dr Devra Davis advises. But practicing safe phone extends to untangling ourselves from our mobile devices. It means fighting their growing power over us. It means reminding them who is boss. Above all, we need to stop fetishizing cellphones. More than 60,000 people are expected to attend the Mobile World Congress this week to gaze at new phones. But remember: All the coercively seductive new products unveiled in Barcelona in the next few days are just phones. They can't make us younger, richer, more virile or more intelligent. And they certainly don't empower us. The real sense of empowerment comes from (re)establishing our mastery over our mobile devices. As William Powers, the author of the excellent "Hamlet's BlackBerry" argues, what this means is disconnecting ourselves from our mobile devices once a week. What it means is pressing the off button so that our smartphone can never become as smart as we are. • Follow @ajkeen on Twitter . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Andrew Keen .

Digital commentator Andrew Keen says our mobile phones are becoming uncontrollable monsters . Keen says our dependency on our mobile devices leaves us open to dark side of technology . Our only salvation lies through protective legislation -- and from knowing when to switch off, he says .

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By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 06:27 EST, 20 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:40 EST, 20 March 2013 . Jailed: Nathanial Teague was sentenced to more than three years after killing an 80-year-old widow . A car thief who killed an 80-year-old widow in a hit-and-run has been jailed for more than three years. Unqualified driver Nathanial Teague, 26, ploughed into pensioner Alice Lucas at 60mph on a pedestrian crossing after stealing his ex-girlfriend's Vauxhall Astra. Her frail body was catapulted four metres in the air and landed on a grass verge - about 25 metres from where she was hit. Teague then desperately tried to drive away but smashed his vehicle into another car. He managed to steer the wreckage away from the scene on the A45 Coventry Road in Yardley, Birmingham, and dumped the car at his former partner's house in Solihull, West Midlands. Despite attempts to save Mrs Lucas, she died at the scene from her injuries. Teague handed himself in to police later that evening on Saturday, February 16. He was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, failing to stop after an accident and driving without a license and no insurance. Teague, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to all charges at an earlier magistrates court hearing. He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison at Birmingham Crown Court. Scene: Despite attempts to save Mrs Lucas, she died on the Coventry Road in Yardley, Birmingham . Jailing Teague, Judge Michael Chambers QC told him: 'This death was tragic and unnecessary. 'The impact on those nearest to her must be enormous. The visibility and weather conditions were good. 'You should have been able to see her had you been travelling at the proper speed and keeping a proper lookout.' He was also banned from the roads for three years. Alice Lucas was crossing the Coventry Road when she was knocked down and killed by Nathanial Teague . After the case PC Stuart Thorpe, from West Midlands Police, said: 'This was a tragic case where an elderly lady has lost her life and a family has been left devastated by a moment of dangerous driving. 'Thankfully, the person responsible has saved the family the time and pain of enduring a lengthy court process, and he has admitted all of his actions which culminated in Mrs Lucas' death. 'We hope that the family can now take some comfort from this sentence.'

Nathanial Teague was driving an ex-girlfriend's car when he hit Alice Lucas . The 80-year-old's frail body was thrown four metres in the air . Despite attempts to save her, she died at the scene . Teague handed himself in after dumping the car and jailed for 40-months .

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Newcastle United have hit back at Gary Lineker’s accusation they are delaying their appointment of a new head coach in order to avoid signing any new players in January. The former England captain tweeted: ‘Brilliant tactics from Newcastle board to delay appointing their new manager so they don’t have to buy any players in the transfer window.’ The Magpies are still searching for Alan Pardew’s successor and it is likely that John Carver will remain in caretaker charge until the summer. Caretaker manager John Carver shows he has passion and desire to be Newcastle United boss . MOTD's Gary Lineker tweeted suggesting Newcastle were deliberately delaying appointing a new boss . But Newcastle managing director Lee Charnley (left), with Mike Ashley, has denied the accusations . But managing director Lee Charnley said: ‘I saw the stuff Gary Lineker tweeted saying we’re hanging back from appointing a head coach so we don’t have to sign anyone which isn’t correct. Are we delaying to get through the January window? Absolutely not. ‘In all honesty, the January window is not one we ever envisaged being particularly active in. That’s partly because of the amount of business we did in the summer but also because January is a difficult market to operate in.’ Charnley, meanwhile, has given the clearest indication yet that United will not appoint a new boss until the end of the season. Tim Krul (left) is left a mere spectator as Eljero Elia's fizzing shot goes underneath him in the Newcastle goal . Elia (left) scored the winning goal for Southampton in the second half with a deflected effort . ‘We see this as a long-term decision,’ he said. ‘We’ve got a number of options and clearly my preference is to try and find someone to bring in now. ‘However, because it will be a long-term commitment, if I have to wait until the summer for what I believe is the right individual then I would rather wait than actually take someone now who I think isn’t the best fit. ‘I’m not going to take someone who is free and available now if we have a better option and options by waiting until the end of the season. I know that won’t be an entirely popular point of view but for me that is the most sensible thing to do. It is about the medium to long term and ensuring we get the “right one”.’ Florin Gardos' (centre left) clearance hits winger Yoan Gouffran (right) before going into into the net . The former Bordeaux man (left) then points to his wrist in celebration of his equaliser on Saturday evening .

Newcastle United without a head coach following Alan Pardew's departure . Gary Lineker tweeted saying the delay in appointing a new coach was due to Newcastle not wanting to 'have to buy any players in transfer window' But Magpies managing director Lee Charnley has denied the accusations . Charnley says club want to choose right option for 'long-term' head coach . He said Magpies never 'envisaged being particularly active' during window . Charnley hinted club may wait until end of season to name permanent boss .

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Washington (CNN) -- Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer was robbed last week by an intruder armed with a machete while Breyer was vacationing on the Caribbean island of Nevis, court officials said Monday. Breyer, his wife and two other guests were in the justice's vacation home at the time, but officials said no one was hurt in the incident. The male assailant took $1,000 in cash and fled the scene, according to court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg. The robbery was reported to local authorities shortly after it happened last Thursday night, and local media said no arrests had been made as of Monday. A law enforcement official said the evidence so far indicates the incident was "a crime of opportunity," and that police have seen nothing so far to indicate Breyer was targeted for robbery. The U.S. Marshals Service provides protection for members of the high court when they are traveling, and agency spokesman Jeff Carter said Monday that the marshals service "is aware of the incident involving Justice Breyer on the Caribbean island of Nevis and is assisting the Supreme Court Police and local law enforcement authorities with the investigation as needed." He did not elaborate. FBI spokesman Paul Bresson said, "We are assisting the local police with their investigation." Meanwhile, police on the island were "actively searching for a known person of interest," Commissioner C.G. Walwyn of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force said Monday. "Our American-trained crime scene investigators and the members of our Criminal Investigators (unit) are working closely with the FBI on this case," he added. Breyer had no comment on the matter, and the court would not say if he had returned to the United States. The high court is in recess this week, but the justices have scheduled a closed-door meeting Friday to go over pending court business, and they resume public sessions next week. Nevis is part of the West Indies chain known as the Leeward Islands, located about 350 miles southeast of Puerto Rico. The court does not talk publicly about specific security arrangements for the justices, either when they are at home or on their frequent travels. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg traveled to Egypt and Tunisia last month as part of an outreach program sponsored by the State Department, which provided her security in the volatile region. Attacks on members of the federal judiciary are not new. Then-Justice David Souter was assaulted by a group of young males in 2004 while jogging alone in the evening near his Washington home. Souter suffered some minor bruises and was briefly treated then released from a local hospital. Justice Byron White was attacked in July 1982 while giving a speech in Utah. That incident led to regular protection by U.S. marshals for members of the court when they travel. The 73-year-old Breyer was nominated to the high court in 1994, and is known as one of the most active and engaging members of the court. His wife is Dr. Joanna Breyer, a renowned pediatric psychologist. CNN's Nigel Walwyn and Carol Cratty contributed to this report.

NEW: Police official calls incident "crime of opportunity" Justice Breyer was at his vacation home on the Caribbean island of Nevis . The machete-wielding intruder made off with $1,000 in cash . No one was hurt in the incident .

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A mother in the advanced stages of labor thought she had just enough time to stop off and register her four-year-old son at a school en route to hospital. But she was mistaken. A school nurse and police officer helped Vanessa DeLeon deliver her fourth baby, Geovani Ezekiel, on Thursday at the campus clinic of Fisher Elementary School in Pasadena, Texas. With no specialist medical equipment available, the newborn's umbilical cord was cut with string and school T-shirts were used as swaddling clothes. A school nurse helped Vanessa DeLeon (pictured) deliver her fourth baby, Geovani Ezekiel, on Thursday at Fisher Elementary School in Texas . Ms DeLeon says her contractions began . earlier Thursday but that she was intent on registering her son, Alexis, . for prekindergarten at Fisher before giving birth to her child. Commenting . on the chain of events, she told KHOU News: 'I walk [into the school] . and tell the lady, "Here is the immunization and the package filled out. Is there anything I'm missing because I have to go now. I'm in labor."' However, baby Geovani just couldn't wait to be born. Unexpected delivery: An image of Fisher Elementary School in Pasadena, Texas, where Ms DeLeon gave birth . Doting mom: Ms DeLeon was at the school trying to register one of her other sons (pictured) in pre-kindergarten when she had to lie down and give birth . His . mother added: 'At first I was like, "Oh my God. I can't believe I'm one . of those ladies that has baby at one of those weird random places."' It was Ashleigh Morris' second day on the job as school nurse Fisher when she was faced with the task of delivering a baby. She said she was putting on her gloves when she saw the baby crowning and was forced to do the delivery bare-handed. Quick action: It was Ashleigh Morris' (pictured) second day on the job as school nurse Fisher when she was faced with the task of delivering a baby . New family member: Baby Geovani Ezekiel weighed a healthy six pounds, three ounces . 'I had no choice, mom pushed and we pulled the baby out,' Ms Morris recalled. The mother and her newborn were doing well when they were later transferred to Bayshore Medical Center. Geovani weighed a healthy six pounds, three ounces. Alexis also got a spot in pre-K. 'Pre-K is very limited and he was asking me to go to school,' Ms DeLeon concluded. 'It's important he goes to school and learns a lot rather than sitting at home watching TV.'

A school nurse helped Vanessa DeLeon deliver her fourth baby on Thursday at the clinic of Fisher Elementary School in Pasadena, Texas . With no specialist medical equipment available, the newborn's umbilical cord was cut with string . Geovani Ezekiel weighed a healthy six pounds, three ounces .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- A royal chauffeur was suspended Sunday after he allegedly allowed undercover reporters from a British tabloid to enter Buckingham Palace in exchange for cash. Buckingham Palace has been the subject of high-profile security breaches before. Mazher Mahmood, of the London-based News of the World, claimed he was allowed to enter the London residence of Queen Elizabeth II without security checks after paying a man identified as a Buckingham chauffeur £1,000 ($1,591). Footage of the incident filmed undercover showed the chauffeur giving Mahmood, whose face was blurred, a tour of the royal garage and, at one point, allowing him to sit in one of the vehicles. A palace spokesperson told CNN that the chauffeur "has been suspended pending further investigation." British media named the chauffeur, but CNN could not independently confirm his identity. Meanwhile, Mahmood's editor, Robert Jobson, told ITN: "Nobody stopped him, nobody actually challenged him. It actually exposes a serious lapse in security at Buckingham Palace." Jobson added that even senior members of the royal family and longtime staffers are required to present photo identification cards upon entry to the palace. "Our investigator is sitting where the queen sits in the royal limo," Jobson said, referring to the video. "And the fact is, we've been told that security has been tightened up, that these things wouldn't happen again, new rules and regulations were brought in -- they simply haven't worked." A spokesman for Scotland Yard told CNN, "We are naturally concerned about the issues raised by this story and are liaising with palace officials about their staff security arrangements." A police statement issued to CNN later Sunday said: "We are naturally concerned about the issues raised by this story and are liaising with palace officials about their staff security arrangements." Buckingham Palace has experienced a number of high-profile security lapses in the past. In 2003 an investigation was launched after "comedy terrorist" Aaron Barschak gatecrashed Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle, PA reported. Wearing a dress, beard and sunglasses, Barschak climbed on stage as the prince addressed the crowd, and kissed him on both cheeks. That same year, a journalist with the Daily Mirror newspaper spent two months "working undercover" as a palace footman.

Reporter claims he entered palace after paying a "Buckingham chauffeur" News of the World reporter filmed being allowed to sit in one of the royal vehicles . Palace spokeswoman says officials are investigating the tabloid's allegation .

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In a nondescript hotel ballroom last month at the South by Southwest Interactive festival, Andras Forgacs offered a rare glimpse at the sci-fi future of food. Before an audience of tech-industry types, Forgacs produced a plate of small pink wafers -- "steak chips," he called them -- and invited people up for a taste. But these were no ordinary snacks: Instead of being harvested from a steer, they had been grown in a laboratory from tiny samples of animal tissue. One taster's verdict on this Frankenmeat? Not bad, actually. "It was delicious. It tasted like a thin piece of beef jerky," said Michael Wang, a program manager in Washington. "I would have never thought it wasn't real meat." Forgacs is co-founder and CEO of Modern Meadow, a young company that is developing lab-engineered meat and leather products, known as cultured meat. He is among a new breed of youthful entrepreneurs who are applying tech-startup principles -- innovation, efficiency, data-driven processes -- to address the growing challenges of global food production. "Once you start to see food as technology, as a form of hardware, you start to ask, why can't food get better?" asked Rob Rhinehart, CEO of Rosa Labs, a nutritional-science startup based in Los Angeles. "But there's a lot of disagreement about what our products are. Is it fake? Is it real?" For those reasons, these biotech food entrepreneurs may face an uphill climb. To an eating public increasingly focused on organic, farm-to-table food, cultured meat -- also known as "in vitro" or "test-tube" meat -- sounds unnatural and unappealing. A recent Pew survey found that 80% of Americans would not eat meat that was grown in a lab, although younger and college-educated people are more willing to try it. "Cultured meat is so new and such a radically different way of making meat to what has gone before," said Neil Stephens, a research scientist at the University of Cardiff in Wales who has been studying lab-engineered food products. "There is an empirical question to answer about whether people will accept it as meat, and what criteria we use to define cultured meat as meat." Problem ... and solution? As these entrepreneurs see it, our current large-scale methods of raising meat are wasteful and harmful to the environment. Research supports this: Raising livestock, for example, requires massive amounts of water, pollutes rivers with manure and, according to the United Nations, produces an estimated 14.5% of global human greenhouse-gas emissions. On top of that, global demand for meat is expected to double over the next 40 years, placing further strain on the planet's natural resources. By comparison, lab-grown meat would leave a much lighter footprint and might eventually help alleviate food shortages in some parts of the world, advocates say. They also say that cultured meat is more humane because no animals are slaughtered. "It's the future," said entrepreneur Biz Stone, a vegan and co-founder of Twitter and Jelly. "We can't sustain the current model of raising enough animals to feed 7 billion people." Spotting an opportunity, a handful of biotechnology startups have begun developing alternative food products. Using a formula developed at the University of Missouri, Beyond Meat takes plant protein from soy and peas and applies heating, cooling and pressure to realign it so that its structure resembles meat tissue. The company's fake chicken strips are in 4,000 stores across the United States and have fooled people in blind taste tests. Hampton Creek Foods has received $30 million in funding for its business model, which revolves around a plant-based substitute for eggs. Its first product, a vegan mayonnaise called Just Mayo, hit stores in California last fall. And after a $2 million crowdfunding campaign Rosa Labs recently began mass-producing Soylent, a drink supplement aimed at meeting all the human body's nutritional needs. "There's such a wide-open space for innovations if you're starting (a company) around food," said Hampton Creek Foods CEO Josh Tetrick. But the most fascinating, and polarizing, startup in this emerging space is Modern Meadow. Launched in 2011 by Forgacs and his father Gabor Forgacs, a biophysicist, the company plans to make cultured leather products before tackling the thornier process of growing meat. "You don't waste as much material (with cultured leather) because animals don't come in the shape of a couch or a handbag," said Andras Forgacs at the SXSW panel discussion in Austin, Texas. To make cultured beef, Modern Meadow takes muscle cells from a steer and places them in a liquid or gel containing amino acids, vitamins, minerals and sugars -- ingredients that cells feed on -- to stimulate tissue growth. Scientists flavor the Modern Meadow steak chips by adding sauces, like teriyaki or barbecue, before cooking them in a food dehydrator. The process takes about a week. "We basically have a team of scientists who developed this," said Andras Forgacs, adding that each chip can be made for less than $100. Costs will go down as production ramps up, he said. That's still a lot cheaper than the world's first lab-grown burger, which was engineered by a scientist in the Netherlands and served to food critics at a news conference last August in London. (Reviews of the burger were mixed.) The project, funded by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, cost some $325,000. A cultural challenge . Manufacturing and cost barriers, plus the pokey federal regulatory process, mean that test-tube steaks won't be coming to your neighborhood supermarket anytime soon. But they are coming, entrepreneurs say. "We're in for a real revolution in the next decade or two," Forgacs said. Added Tetrick, "By 2030 we're going to see a drastic shift." They and their fellow biotech entrepreneurs still face plenty of stumbling blocks. There's the issue of health: While lab-grown meat would likely be freer of bacteria and pesticides, its production also may require the use of artificial growth hormones. Then there's the challenge of making consumers comfortable with eating meat that comes from a laboratory. And if cultured meat doesn't taste good, nobody will try it more than once. "It's not the science that's the most difficult part. The hardest part is our culture. We've been eating meat for 2 million years," said Ethan Brown, CEO of Beyond Meat. But, he added, "You can see the change coming when you sit down and talk to a child. No child wants to hurt an animal." Not surprisingly, the U.S. beef industry is not excited by the prospect of lab-grown meat. "We feel confident that consumers will continue to trust and prefer traditionally raised (not lab-engineered) beef. No laboratory product will ever be able to take the place of cattlemen and women or the dedication they have to the customer, the consumer, or to rural America," said Chase Adams, spokesman for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. "Regardless of market, I do not foresee engineered beef as a viable or attractive option for consumers." Stephens, the University of Cardiff researcher, believes the idea of cultured meat is still too new for most people to wrap their heads around. Is it really meat, or is it something else? "If you ask the biologists working on it ... many of them will tell you it will be meat when the material composition of the cultured meat is sufficiently similar to traditional meat," he said. "I am a sociologist, so to me the meaning of something is not defined by its material properties but by how society more broadly makes sense of ... (it). "Cultured meat is still very new in the public imagination, and I think many people are still working out what they think about it."

Tech entrepreneurs are addressing the challenges of global food production . One startup, Modern Meadow, wants to engineer meat in a lab . Research shows current methods of raising meat are harmful to the environment . But survey finds 80% of Americans would not eat meat grown in a lab .

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By . Rik Sharma . PUBLISHED: . 07:51 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:11 EST, 1 November 2012 . An army veteran and his daughter are finally back together 21 years after his German wife had sent her to a foster home while he was in Iraq. Kimberly Miller, 22, is now with father Robert and his new wife Karyn at their home in Guffey, Colorado. The pair met for the first time in over two decades in July but it was not until October that Kimberley could secure a visa to live in America. Gulf war: Robert Miller (not pictured) was activated for Desert Storm and while he was gone his wife left him and sent their daughter to live with foster parents . Robert, 48, now a correctional officer, had been stationed in Germany during the first Gulf War, when he had Kimberly, before he was activated for Desert Storm in Iraq. But when he returned his wife had moved away and Kimberly had been given to foster carers. In 1999 Robert was moved back to the United States - but he did not stop searching for his daughter even though the only thing he had to remember her by was an old photo. Kimberly was taken back by her mother but then given up three more times to foster parents over the years. 'When I came back to Germany she was gone,' Robert told the Canon City Daily Record. 'I didn't know where she was,' he said. '(Kimberly's) mother just (disappeared). She wouldn't talk to me - they said I'm an American soldier, she's German - so I had no rights.' He continued: 'I would write (my former wife) and I would never hear anything - nothing,' he said. 'But my (current) wife, Karyn, wrote her and she started answering back. I don't know why she would talk to her and not me.' Robert and Karyn tried to get Kimberly to visit them when she was 13 but her mother refused to let the girl come without her. The call was suddenly ended and communication between them was blocked off again. But Kimberly was still searching, knowing her father lived in Colorado and earlier this year her maternal aunt and uncle helped her find details of a Robert Miller in Guffey. She left a message at Rita's Cafe in the spring where Robert picks up an iced coffee on the way to work at the Canon Minimum Centers. 'A girl named Valerie was working there,' said Robert. 'I went in and she said "someone from Germany called here".' But Valerie lost the note and it was not until a week later that the cafe owner Rita found it. 'A few days later I went by and she had the piece of paper,' explained Robert. 'It said "daughter looking for you" - and then the phone number.' He continued: 'I did the easy thing and asked Karyn to call. But she told me I had to call.' Eventually he picked up the phone and spoke to his daughter. 'I couldn't believe I was talking to her,' he said. They began speaking via email and eventually she flew out to Denver International Airport to meet him and Karyn on July 13. 'Unbelievable,' said Robert. 'Twenty-one years later, I didn't think it was possible.' He is delighted with the young woman that she has become over the past two decades. 'Very proud - very,' he said. 'She makes a father happy. Robert continued: 'Sometimes I look at her and I think she's a little 12- or 14-year-old kid. Other times she's a grown woman.' Kimberly said: 'I'm happy to stay here and I will come back as fast as I can. 'It is a good feeling to know where I came from. My dad and Karyn are nice people and I love them very much. I'm happy to see them again.' She spent a week in the States before flying back home, determined to  live in America permanently. Robert and Karyn hired a lawyer to help them secure dual-citizenship and after a visa struggle they eventually sorted out the paperwork. 'It makes me angry that we tried everything to come here and nobody helps you,' Kimberly told the Denver Post. 'They said "there's nothing we can do - it's your problem, not ours." But finally, I'm here.' She bought a one-way ticket to the United States and arrived on October 7. In the weeks since then she has spent time on the Miller ranch, assisting with work on cars, splitting wood, driving a tractor and even firing Robert's guns. Kimberly is not planning on staying at the ranch - she is currently looking for a job and house in Colorado Springs. 'The main thing is I have a job and earn some money to start,' she explained. 'We will see.'

Robert Miller left for Iraq when his then wife moved away, leaving Kimberly, nearly one, with carers . Kimberly has now secured a visa to stay in America where she is looking for a job .

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Everton's Bryan Oviedo misses out because of injury . Costa Rica face England in final group game on June 24 in Belo Horizonte . By . Mike Dawes . Goalkeeper Keylor Navas and forwards Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell head the list of players named in Costa Rica's preliminary 30-man squad for next month's World Cup in Brazil. Fulham forward Ruiz has spent the second half of the season on loan at PSV, while Arsenal's Campbell has been at Olympiacos. Costa Rica face England in the final group game in Belo Horizonte on June 24. Leader: Bryan Ruiz has scored 12 times from 61 appearances for Costa Rica . Gunner: Arsenal's Joel Campbell looks set to line up against England . Coach Jorge Luis Pinto resisted naming any major surprises in the lineup and is using the same core of players who helped Costa Rica to qualify as the top team from the CONCACAF region. Pinto said he was happy to stick with his proven players and valued continuity in the team. 'If we have to make changes, we will when the time comes,' Pinto said. He said he will name his final 23-man squad on May 31, before the team travels to the United States for friendlies against Japan and Ireland. World of pain: Bryan Oviedo suffers the broken leg against Stevenage which means he will miss the World Cup . Pinto also confirmed that defender Bryan Oviedo of Everton will miss the cup with a broken left leg. Oviedo was injured in January and was not able to recover sufficiently to make the team. Costa Rica will be a heavy underdog to advance from a group containing England, Italy and Uruguay. The Central Americans will be appearing in their fourth World Cup, but merely picking up a point or two will be difficult against three teams near the top of the FIFA rankings with seven World Cup titles between them. Knocking one of the European giants out of the World Cup and matching its achievement of reaching the round of 16, which happened in 1990, would be a major accomplishment. Squad: . Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (Levante), Patrick Pemberton (Alajuelense) Daniel Cambronero (Herediano), Esteban Alvarado (AZ Alkmaar). Defenders: Johnny Acosta (Alajuelense), Giancarlo Gonzalez (Columbus Crew), Michael Umana (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Bruges), Waylon Francis (Columbus Crew), Heiner Mora (Saprissa), Junior Diaz (Mainz 05), Christian Gamboa (Rosenborg), Roy Miller (Red Bulls), Kendall Waston (Saprissa). Midfielders: Celso Borges (AIK), Christian Bolanos (Copenhagen), Esteban Granados (Herediano), Michael Barrantes (AAlesund), Yeltsin Tejeda (Saprissa), Diego Calvo (Valerenga), Jose Miguel Cubero (Herediano) Carlos Hernandez (Wellington Phoenix), Ariel Rodriguez (Alajuelense), Hansell Arauz (Saprissa). Forwards: Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake), Bryan Ruiz (PSV Eindhoven), Joel Campbell (Olympiacos), Randall Brenes (Cartagines), Marco Urena (FC Kuban Krasnodar), Jairo Arrieta (Columbus Crew).

Everton's Bryan Oviedo misses out because of injury . Costa Rica face England in final group game on June 24 in Belo Horizonte .

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By . Katy Winter . A woman has lost an incredible 19.8st - more than half her 43st body weight - following dangerous weight loss surgery . Morbidly obese Tara Taylor, 35, developed a complex and deeply unhealthy relationship with food after being raped at the age of 26, using food to comfort herself and her size as a way of protecting herself from the world. But after her son Darren, six, told her that all his classmates called her fat, Tara made the decision to lose weight for the sake of her children. Tara's 43st weight meant she was mainly confined to her bed and in near constant pain . Tara dropped from 43.2st (left) to 23.4st (left) in the course of 12 months after opting for risky bypass surgery . The mother-of-two, from Lafayette in Louisiana, had tipped the scales at a staggering 606lbs (43.2st) and suffered from numerous health problems that left her bed bound and unable to care for her children. She could barely walk and spent most of her days in bed while her mother Paula cooked her meals and cared for the children. Speaking on TLC's My 600lb Life ahead of the operation, Tara said: 'I’m disgusted with myself. If I could cut it off I would. 'There’s a lot of things in my life that’s hard and because of my size I don’t do much of anything. Basically my day in stuck in the bed. 'I’m in constant pain. My weight has worn . down the cartilage in my knees so when I walk it is literally bone on . bone. My back hurts because my stomach hangs so far down. I’m just . tired.' Tara used food as an emotional crutch and her size as a means of protection against the world . Worse, Tara also said her children, Darren and Felicity, were missing out on being raised by their mother with grandmother Paula doing the bulk of the childcare instead. ‘She . does everything for them,' explained Tara. 'But she’s getting too old to be doing what . she’s doing - I should be taking care of her. 'I want to be there for my . children. I want to see them play sports and see them grow up. 'Ever since I can remember I have been . overweight,' she continued. 'It didn’t really dawn on me about my size until when I was . 13 years old I stepped on the scales and it read 187.5lb [13st 4lbs] but I just . brushed it off. When I graduated high school I was 352lb [25st 1lb]. 'My . food is an addiction. Food doesn’t judge me whether I’m happy or sad, . angry, upset- I always have food. Food has always been my safe haven.' But although she'd always been big, the trigger for the weight gain that took her to a massive 43st 2lb was a traumatic rape at the age of 26. After becoming pregnant by her rapist, Tara then suffered a miscarriage and in the aftermath, began eating more 'to feel safe and unattractive' to men. Tara also felt her size meant she was missing out on raising daughter Felicity and son Darren, who had to interact with her on her bed . Although Tara's mother prepared most of her food, Tara, who admitted she ate 6 times a day, was able to cook for herself sitting down . ‘When I was 26 I was raped and I got pregnant from the rape and had a miscarriage,' she revealed. 'I . was heavy, but afterwards I just got heavier. I felt that if I got more . unattractive no man would want to touch me and I would be safe. 'It made me not care. I didn’t care about anyone else's feelings. After I eat I feel disgusted, angry at myself. I beat myself up about it.’ Despite her size - and her inability to cook for herself - Tara's mother Paula says she felt unable to deny her requests for food. ‘I’m helping her to stay like she is . because it is hard to serve her and tell her, "That’s all you can have",' she explained. 'I . always end up giving into her… she’s my child.’ With dieting made difficult by her situation, Tara travelled to Texas to consult leading bariatric surgeon, Dr Younan Nowazaradan in a bid to lose weight. Tara shopping using a scooter with her mother Paula (left) and daughter Felicity (right) Tara travelled to Texas to meet with Dr Nowzaradan, who described her condition as 'critical' and undergo surgery . Demanding that she make an effort to change her unhealthy habits on her own before undergoing surgery, Dr Nowzaradan instructed Tara – who admitted she ate at least six times a day- to lose 20lbs in a month at home. ‘Tara’s conditional is critical. If she doesn’t start to lose weight, I don’t think she will live another five years,’ he warned. The surgery, which left her with a stomach the size of a boiled egg, was a success, although Tara admits she did have trouble adapting to her new diet at first. ‘Changing your eating habits is hard, especially when your whole life you have turned to food to make you happy,’ she explained. Despite disappointing initial weight loss, Tara's surgery goes ahead, with her son admitting to her at her bedside that he is teased at school over her size . Tara's weight led to complications during surgery, but it was a success; reducing the size of Tara's stomach to about the same as a boiled egg . Despite a bumpy start to sticking to her diet, Tara eventually becomes committed, walking more and even starting at a gym . A year later, Tara has lost almost half her body weight, and can now walk around the supermarket instead of having to ride on a scooter, and can help her son get ready for school in the morning. ‘A year ago I was at the lowest point in my life,' she says. 'I will never forget who that 600lb person was; I will always love her but I sure won’t miss her. ‘Now I have a world of possibilities and I just can’t wait to start living my life.' Tara appears on My 600lb Life, tonight at 9pm on TLC .

Tara dropped from 43.2st to 23.4st over a year . Used food as a comfort following being raped in her 20's . Her size left her in constant pain and nearly bed bound . She was also unable to care for her two children . Underwent risky surgery to reduce her stomach to size of an egg .

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Found: Michael Brutsch, 49, has been unmasked as the Reddit's biggest, most controversial troll . The internet troll behind a disgusting online message board where users post sexual photographs of unsuspecting teenage girls has been revealed as a cat-loving grandfather from Texas. Michael Brutsch, who uses the Reddit name 'Violentacrez', was the main moderator for the social network's 'Creepshot' forum which sparked outrage last month for encouraging the vile pictures. Now, after years posting offensive messages across the internet and earning the moniker of the 'biggest troll on the web', Brutsch has been found working as a computer programmer for a financial services company in Arlington, Texas by Gawker. The 49-year-old lives with his wife, who suffers from diabetes and is also an avid Reddit user, a son, two dogs and seven cats. Brutsch, who has a granddaughter, also has a son in the Marines, according to social networking sites. 'My wife is disabled,' he pleaded with the reporter. 'I got a home and a . mortgage, and if this hits the fan, I believe this will affect . negatively on my employment. 'I do my job, go home watch TV, . and go on the internet. I just like riling people up in my spare time.' But, even though he has become a massive internet troll after setting up a number of sickening Reddit forums, including 'Rapebait', 'incest' and 'misogyny', he refused to apologise. 'I would stand by exactly what I've done,' he added. Unmasked: At odds with his controversial life online, Brutsch is a married computer programmer for a financial services firm who lives with his wife, Tori, and their pets in Arlington, Texas . As Gawker reveals, Violentacrez has long been one of the driving forces of Reddit, a website where users submit content and vote for or against it to determine its position on the front page. On the website, he was also behind the sickening trend 'Jailbait', where users submitted sexualised images of scantily-clad underage girls. The users deleted photos of girls older than 16. It generated millions of page views . each month but, unsurprisingly, also sparked outrage and was eventually . pulled after Anderson Cooper lambasted Reddit for hosting it. Brutsch . has long argued that he is not a pedophile and would remove any child . porn that was posted, and was merely maintaining free speech on the . website. He told Gawker that, while at home with . his wife, the two would lie in bed together with their laptops, both on . Reddit, him posting porn as she posted cute animal videos. Reddit has not only condoned his vile . posts but encouraged and facilitated them, aware that their . controversial spin will drive more traffic to the website, which . launched in 2006. Sick trend: One Reddit forum set up by Brutsch is 'Creepshot' where users upload sexualised images of unsuspecting young girls. Here, a shot of a schoolgirl reportedly taken at a school . He was close with the employees, he . told Gawker, and was even given a 'pimp hat' as a thank you for his . contributions to the site, which now receives more than three billion hits a . month. Reddit has been an established and popular name on the Internet over the last five years. It is a social news website where users submit content and vote for or against it to determine its position on the front page. Users can discuss any subject, and the site is regularly used by celebrities for interviews, including Barack Obama, who recently took part in an 'ask me anything' debate. It is celebrated for its wide-range of topics, diverse users and freedom of speech which, as in the case of Brutsch, can make way for controversial topics. Some of the 'subreddits' he has been linked with include 'Rapebait', 'incest' and 'misogyny', on which users would post pictures and discuss them in detail. In 2011, he was behind 'jailbait', a group for sexually suggestive pictures of underage girls taken from pages like Facebook. Images of girls who looked over 16 were removed from the subreddit. After it was blasted on Anderson Cooper 360, the group was banned. Since 2006, Reddit has been owned by Condé Nast publishers, which also owns GQ, the New Yorker and Vanity Fair. Before Jailbait was to be closed, the general manager, Erik Martin, contacted him directly to warn him, Brutsch claimed. 'Want . to give you a heads up,' Martin wrote. 'We're making a policy change . regarding jailbait type content. Don't really have a choice.' This blasé - and often encouraging - . attitude towards trolling and offensive, invasive images raise questions . over Reddit's social and moral responsibilities. They even used Brutsch as a volunteer . moderator, trusting this man with extremely questionable tastes over . what would be appropriate to appear across the website. The revelation of his identity comes weeks after campaigners fought to close his 'Creepshots' forum. It . features images of ordinary women on the street, in the gym or even at . school who are caught unawares by stealthy 'creeps' with cameras. Most . shots focus on the buttocks or breasts of non-consenting women going . about their daily lives - and users admit that 'at least 40 percent' of . the images are of underage girls. In one alarming thread, a prolific poster appears to be a teacher, posting images of his unsuspecting female students. The user, 'Weagleweaglewde', while . posting numerous 'upskirt' images of girls in a classroom setting, . claims in at least two posts that he is a teacher at a high school. The response to the 'creep shots' forum - known as a subreddit - has been outrage and a campaign to remove . the site has sprung up from other corners of Reddit. Unabashed: The Creep Shots admittedly has photos of large numbers of underage girls . In a sub-forum called 16F - shorthand for Female, 16 - user Weagleweaglewde comments on a girl's appearance, again claiming to be a teacher at a high school . Blasé: Despite some his sickening posts and fears he could lose his job, Brutsch stands by what he's done . One furious user wrote: 'What's particularly disturbing about the voyeur subreddits is that individuals are having their perverse, invasive, and illegal behavior validated and encouraged by many others. 'Students should be able to attend class without having their privacy violated by fellow students and trusted authority figures like teachers. 'Girls should be able to go to school without worrying that sexually suggestive images of them are being uploaded to popular websites like Reddit for thousands to view and ogle.' One user went as far as to offer tips for getting 'creep shots'. 'Don't . be nervous,' the advice reads. 'If you are, you'll stand out. Don't . hover too much, get your shot and move on if you can. You'll look less . like a creep if you have photos of things other than just hot chicks' a**es.'

Reddit message board 'CreepShots' came under fire for photos of women taken without their permission; around 40 per cent were underage . User who moderated board now identified as Michael Brutsch, 49 . Branded 'the biggest troll on the web' for offensive posts . Revealed as computer programmer and married military father . Brutsch: 'I stand by exactly what I've done'

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(CNN) -- Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, who is accused of trying to detonate an explosive on an international flight into Michigan on Christmas Day last year, was not radicalized while he was a college student, according to a report released Friday. The study was conducted by a panel set up by the University College London (UCL), where AbdulMutallab was enrolled in the mechanical engineering department between September 2005 and June 2008. But, said the school, the review was done by an independent panel. "The inquiry panel has found no evidence to suggest that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was radicalised while at UCL," the report said. "There is evidence that UCL was, well in advance of the Christmas Day 2009 incident, taking steps to strengthen its student support processes." The report, however, recommended that the school better monitor invitations to visiting speakers, scrutinize student events, and consider whether there is a need for training staff so they can better deal with students who are cause for concern. A former friend of Abdulmutallab told CNN in December that the Nigerian national became more devout about his Muslim faith while attending the university in London. "In London he isolated himself from some of his former friends," Kwesi Brako told CNN. "He became much more serious about his religion." Brako, a Christian, was in the same year as AbdulMutallab at the English boarding school they attended in the western African nation of Togo and said they were close friends. In the fall of 2005, he moved to England at the same time as AbdulMutallab to start university. But the two friends, who attended different schools, lost touch while in London. AbdulMutallab became increasingly involved in the Islamic Society of UCL -- one of Britain's premier universities -- quickly becoming its vice president and threw all his energies into this new role, Brako said. Brako kept up with AbdulMutallab through mutual friends in the British capital. In June 2006, AbdulMutallab became president of the UCL Islamic Society, CNN learned. "He started wearing traditional Muslim robes with trousers rolled up around the ankles," said Brako, "Even in the winter he wore sandals." In Britain, this style of dress is often associated with Muslims espousing a hardline-fundamentalist form of Islam. At high school in Togo, Brako recalls that AbdulMutallab usually wore jeans and a T-shirt. The Nigerian is the fourth president of a London Islamic Society to face terrorist charges in three years. One of them is awaiting retrial, having escaped conviction for involvement in the 2006 liquid bomb plot to blow up airliners bound for the U.S., a precursor to the Christmas plot. AbdulMutallab is accused of trying to set off a bomb hidden in his underwear aboard a plane from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Detroit, Michigan, on December 25, 2009. He faces six federal charges, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and willful attempt to destroy an aircraft. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of trying to blow up the Northwest Airlines plane. During a hearing in September, he asked the judge: "If I want to plead guilty to some counts, basically, how would that go?" He also said he wanted to represent himself. The next court date in AbdulMutallab's case is expected later this month.

AbdulMutallab attended University College London between September 2005 and June 2008 . A report by the school says it found no evidence that he was radicalized there . At school, AbdulMutallab became president of the Islamic Society . He is the fourth president of a London Islamic society to face terrorist charges in three years .

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(CNN) -- P.D. James, the British novelist renowned for her crime novels featuring detective Adam Dalgliesh as well as such works as "The Children of Men," died Thursday. She was 94. Faber & Faber, her UK publisher, reported her death on its website. "It is difficult to express our profound sadness at losing P. D. James, one of the world's great writers and a Faber author since her first publication in 1962," the publisher said in a statement. "She was so very remarkable in every aspect of her life, an inspiration and great friend to us all. We will miss her hugely." The Guardian reported that James died at her home in Oxford, England. "Saddened to hear of the death of P.D. James, one of the UK's greatest crime writers, who thrilled and inspired generations of readers," tweeted British Prime Minister David Cameron. Over a five-decade career as a published writer, James won countless honors for her thoughtful, probing mysteries featuring Dalgliesh, a Scotland Yard detective who was also a poet. She was named a Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America, earned the Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers' Association and received a life membership in the House of Lords in 1991, named Baroness James of Holland Park. She was nicknamed "the Queen of Crime" and described as the Dickens of crime writing. Her famed protagonist, Dalgliesh, is a complex, withdrawn figure, "a dedicated professional policeman, supremely efficient, sensitive but with reticence verging on coldness in personal matters," The New York Times described him in 1986. He is widowed and childless. In his introspection and erudition, he was something apart from the usual British detective, even in a culture that created Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown. "Dalgliesh is probably the most intelligent officer in modern detective fiction," Ruth Rendell, no mean detective writer herself, told the Guardian in 2001. James was following in the British mystery tradition even as she longed to tweak it, she told the Guardian. "If I was starting now, I would almost certainly have a woman professional police officer" as the main character, James said. "But when I began, in the late '50s, it was a very different world. Women in the police force mostly dealt with issues concerning women and children. I don't think they were even in the detective force, so I had no choice about sex." The Dalgliesh mysteries include "The Black Tower" (1975), "A Taste for Death" (1986) and "Death in Holy Orders" (2001). Her novel "Death Comes to Pemberley" (2011) continued Jane Austen's classic "Pride and Prejudice" as a murder mystery. It was adapted into a miniseries that aired on PBS in the United States. Phyllis Dorothy James was born in Oxford in 1920. At 16, she left school and went to work as a civil servant in the tax office. She married Ernest Connor White in 1941. She became the family breadwinner when White returned from World War II with mental problems. After years in and out of psychiatric hospitals, he died in 1964. James worked her way up through the civil service, spending 10 years as an administrator in a forensics department. James didn't publish her first novel, "Cover Her Face," until 1962 -- when she was 42 -- but she always knew she wanted to be a writer, she told the Paris Review in 1995. "From an early age, I used to tell imaginative stories to my younger brother and sister. I lived in the world of the imagination, and I did something that other writers have told me they did as children: I described myself inwardly in the third person," she said. "I don't know whether this is significant, but I think writing was what I wanted to do -- almost as soon as I knew what a book was." And her subject, she said, was a natural for her. As she told the Paris Review, "I had an interest in death from an early age. It fascinated me. When I heard, Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, I thought, Did he fall, or was he pushed?" Ironically, her breakthrough work was a non-Dalgliesh title, 1980's "Innocent Blood," which allowed her to retire to writing full time. "At the beginning of the week, I was relatively poor, and at the end of the week, I wasn't," she told the Guardian. Aside from the mysteries, her best-known work is probably "The Children of Men," which was made into a highly praised Alfonso Cuaron film in 2006. It is set in a near future in which a disease has rendered women infertile and humanity is slowly dying off, erupting in chaos in the process. It was making sense of chaos that she found the heart of her mysteries, she said. "I think the main attraction isn't the horror, it's the puzzle," she told the Guardian. "(It's) the bringing of order out of disorder." James is survived by two daughters and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. People we've lost in 2014 .

P.D. James, noted crime novelist, dies at 94 . James created detective Adam Dalgliesh, one of most renowned in modern lit . Among her other books: "The Children of Men," made into 2006 film .

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LaGuardia Airport Terminal C was evacuated Tuesday afternoon after officials noticed a package being loaded onto a Richmond, Virginia-bound plane was spewing smoke. Port Authority spokesman Joe Pentangelo said some ramp workers reported the issue shortly before noon. Boarding of Delta Flight 5208 was suspended and the terminal partially emptied as authorities investigated the matter. Evacuation: Hundreds of travelers can be seen being forced out of LaGuardia airport's Terminal C after 11am Tuesday when employees spotted a package that appeared to be smoking . Cold: 'Airport officials are making us walk farther and farther from terminal C at Laguardia airport. #freezing' wrote Twitter user and evacuee Dionna Widder . Authorities have called the evacuation a precautionary measure. Pentangelo said a passenger was being interviewed, though it remained unclear at the time of the evacuation whether the package was a parcel that was simply being shipped or if it belonged to a passenger. Also unclear was what exactly caused the bag to smoke, though the New York Post reports that the Port Authority’s Police Crash Fire Rescue Unit was on hand during the evacuation and investigation. The package never made it onto the Virginia-bound fight. Hundreds of passengers were forced out into the cold, snowy thoroughfares outside the terminal and the plane was briefly called back to the gate. The day resumes: An all clear was given after 1pm and tweeted out by the New York FBI . 'Airport officials are making us walk farther and farther from terminal C at LaGuardia airport. #freezing,' wrote Twitter user Dionna Widder. By 12:30, employees were allowed back into the evacuated area. Passengers soon followed and the ExpressJet has since been cleared for takeoff. 'All clear at LaGuardia Airport following earlier reports of a suspicious package,' tweeted the New York FBI. It was expected to be a little over an hour and a half late into Richmond. Pentangelo said the bag was moved to a remote location, X-rayed and declared harmless. Precautionary: The Delta terminal was partially cleared as a precaution before noon and a passenger was questioned by authorities but authorities said nothing nefarious was suspected .

Richmond, Virginia-bound Delta Flight 5208 was called briefly back to its gate after the suspicious package was spotted by baggage loaders . Authorities say the package never made it onto the plane . Port Authority authorities did not immediately reveal what made the package smoke but at least one traveler was questioned during the investigation . The precautionary evacuation ended around 12:30pm and the flight was cleared to take off .

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(CNN) -- Senegal were disqualified from the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday, as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed Ivory Coast's participation at January's finals in South Africa. Senegal's second leg playoff qualifier against the Ivorians on Saturday was called off by the referee after 74 minutes as disgruntled fans rioted moments after Didier Drogba scored to give the visitors a 6-2 aggregate lead at the Leopold Senghor Stadium in Dakar. "CAF decided to officially confirm that result of the match as 2-0 in favour of Ivory Coast in accordance with the provisions of article 16 para 20 of the regulations of the competition and to consider Senegal the loser of the said match and eliminated from the competition," African football's ruling body said in a statement. After meeting at CAF headquarters in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Tuesday, the organization also stipulated that Senegal's disqualification will not prevent then from receiving further sanctions. If previous CAF punishments are followed, Senegal can expect to play some future competitive qualifiers away from their capital Dakar. After crowd trouble by home fans followed Togo's elimination from the 2008 Nations Cup by visitors Mali, the Togolese were punished by playing their next three competitive games in a neutral venue and barred from hosting a match at their national stadium for six months. Read: Cape Verde and Ethiopia shake up Africa Cup of Nations . Senegal has experienced crowd trouble before, most notably when another qualifying failure -- for the World Cup and Nations Cup finals in 2010 -- sparked fans into throwing rocks onto the pitch in Dakar while lighting fans inside and outside the stadium. Despite violence which also saw the stadium's windows smashed by fans, Senegal's football federation received no ban from either CAF or world governing body FIFA. On Saturday, some Ivorian supporters made a perilous five-meter leap from the bleachers onto the running track around the pitch before joining players from both teams in the center circle as they all sheltered from the violence. The second leg of the final round qualifier was suspended for 40 minutes before the referee decided to cancel the match. Even though CAF had yet to confirm Ivory Coast's qualification for the 2013 Nations Cup, the Elephants were included in the tournament seedings by African football's ruling body on Monday. The 2012 runners-up were placed in the highest ranked group of seeds, along with Ghana, host nation South Africa and reigning champions Zambia. The 2013 finals take place between 19 January and 10 February.

Senegal disqualified from 2013 Africa Cup of Nations after rioting caused abandonment of match on Saturday . Opponents Ivory Coast confirmed as winners of the match and as qualifiers for January's finals in South Africa . African football's ruling body CAF does not rule out possibility of further sanctions .

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(CNN) -- Whether it's through music, dancing or his art, Nigerian Jimi Solanke is a master of telling local folk stories. The 70-year-old, who is fondly referred to as "Uncle Jimi," is one of the West African country's most accomplished performing artists, most famous for his story-telling on children's television shows. "You put everything in a character and you bundle it as though you become it," says award-winning Solanke. "You don't play it on the thin skin, you play it from your middle." Armed with an expressive face and a baritone voice, Solanke is renowned for his uncanny ability to tell stories, moving brilliantly and convincingly between characters and settings. "The character playing is like getting into a spirit and 10-15 minutes after coming off stage ... I will still have that old warrior in me, until it fizzles out little by little," he says. "That is the acting I love -- the acting where your fingers are the fingers of the character, everything you're doing is what the character is doing," adds Solanke. Ethiopian 'Sesame Street' teaches life-saving lessons . The prolific artist, poet and singer rose to fame in Nigeria with his two children's television shows, "Storyland" and "African Stories." The successful TV programs were broadcast across the country, entertaining and educating different generations of Nigerian children. "I discovered that children are very important people in this whole world," he says. "They know you inside out, if you stand in front of them, that you want to entertain them. If you are not serious about it, they will know and in less than five minutes you will lose their concentration." Solanke has also released several music albums over the years and collaborated with many great playwrights on stage, including the Nobel Literature laureate Wole Soyinka. He says that performing in front of an audience always makes him feel alive. "Take me away from performance and in a week I'll be sick -- and I've never been sick because I've been performing all the time," says Solanke. "I feel I am doing what God has asked me in life -- am I doing it well, I want to do it better still, I'm trying. I feel fulfilled when it comes to performing in front of audiences." Despite his age, the septuagenarian performance artist says he has no plans of slowing down. He lives and works with his wife at Obafemi Awolowo University in the city of Ife in south-west Nigeria and has recently started a new project -- creating 2,000 collages of local deities made out of newspapers. Blind music pioneer fires up Nigeria's modern sound . Solanke has also been taking his acting into the rural villages to train local aspiring artists and to help keep his Yoruba culture alive. He says traditions play a big part in his work. "If you lose the perspectives of your culture as an artist anywhere in the world and you lose the depths of your cultural perspectives -- you can have nothing to sell," says Solanke. "People like us, we will keep the flag of our ancestors flying, no matter what other spiritual concerns. At least at my age, I've lived it and seen it, I've taught it, I've discussed it, so I believe it can never be totally pushed into extinction," he adds.

Jimi Solanke is one of Nigeria's most public and prolific masters of performing arts . The master storyteller achieved success with his two children's TV shows . Solanke, 70, has also been taking his acting into villages to train aspiring artists .

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It only took about 10 minutes. 'F*** off Cesc Fabregas' was the poisonous chant that cascaded down from the Arsenal fans in one corner, once they'd finally all got in for this highly-charged London derby. 303 appearances, 57 goals, innumerable moments of magic, all those afternoons of glory - all lost amid football's tribal atmosphere. Fabregas's achievements at Arsenal, who he represented for eight seasons and captained, quickly forgotten by some with short memories after his move to their rivals in the blue corner of London. Cesc Fabregas produced a masterful performance against his former club as Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-0 . Fabregas plays another accurate pass from midfield as Arsenal's Danny Welbeck watches on . Fabregas (right) celebrates with Diego Costa after supplying the assist for Chelsea's second goal . On the pitch, vicious tackles flew in. In the stands, barbs were traded. On the touchline, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho squared up like protagonists in a playground scrap. And down there in the maelstrom, one man just got on with the job he's always done with such class and distinction. For Fabregas, this was just business as usual. He would have cared little for the Arsenal taunts - bygones are bygones, what's done is done. He is loving life at Stamford Bridge, as Mourinho asserted in the build-up. There are no regrets at all. Fabregas's performance in Chelsea's 2-0 win reminded you of the opening lines of Rudyard Kipling's 'If': 'If you can keep your head when all about you/Are losing theirs and blaming it on you.' Fabregas battles with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez during the contest at Stamford Bridge . Fabregas's heat map from the match shows his presence right across the midfield . Fabregas played a delightful ball for Diego Costa to score Chelsea's second goal late on . Passes: 69 . Passing accuracy: 88.4 % . Long passes: 7 . Short passes: 62 . Recoveries: 13 . Tackles: 4 . Chances created: 3 . Assists: 1 . The Spaniard may not be about to inherit the Earth and everything in it, but more displays like this and Chelsea will certainly win the Premier League. Arsenal are imposters to triumph, blown away again by Chelsea, whom they now trail by nine points in the table. Fabregas's afternoon was a masterclass in consistency. His passing was measured, metronomic as usual. He played 69 passes with an accuracy of 88.4 per cent. Jack Wilshere, by contrast, made just 43 passes, Mesut Ozil 56. His heat map shows Fabregas as an omnipresence in the midfield, popping up right across the wide sweep of his own half. He recovered possession on 13 separate occasions. But the Catalan artist left his piece de resistance until right near the end. A magnificent ball over the top of the Arsenal defence that picked out Diego Costa. The rest was inevitable; a deft chip over the hopelessly stranded Wojciech Szczesny. Fabregas well and truly won the midfield battle against Jack Wilshere as Chelsea emerged 2-0 winners . Fabregas (second left) greets the Arsenal players ahead of the kick-off . Fabregas is flashed up on the Stamford Bridge big screen located high above the Arsenal fans . Mourinho went the extra mile to ensure Fabregas chose Chelsea over Arsenal or Manchester City in the summer, flying out to Spain for a personal audience within days of learning Barcelona had made him available. He wooed the World Cup-winner with a promise that he would be the keystone in Chelsea's midfield, and so it has proved. His assist in Costa's goal was his fourth for his compatriot already this season and his seventh overall, more than any Chelsea player managed in the whole of last season. Little wonder Roman Abramovich was on his feet in the director's box punching the air in delight. The £62m on those two could well be the best money he's ever spent. A delay to kick-off as Arsenal fans were held up getting in to Stamford Bridge wouldn't have helped Fabregas's pre-match nerves but once he got a first feel for the ball, he was irrepressible. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich jumps in the air after Costa doubles his team's lead . Jack Wilshere and Fabregas share a word as they walk off at half-time . Arsenal believed Fabregas had handled in Wilshere's shot but the referee was unmoved . He didn't misplace a pass inside the first 20 minutes and made a perfectly-timed tackle on compatriot Santi Cazorla. A nicely flighted free-kick from the right was met by Nemanja Matic, but in an offside position. Always available to receive a pass, he pinged the ball about with characteristic ease and soon he was initiating the move with the steal that led to Eden Hazard winning - and then converting - a 26th-minute penalty. In the second-half, Fabregas robbed Ozil of the ball as the German shaped to shoot on the edge of the box. Within seconds, Chelsea were in Arsenal's penalty box. It was indicative of his dominance over the German - and the rest of Arsenal's midfield - in all departments. There was one moment when Wilshere's shot may have been blocked by Fabregas's hand but referee Martin Atkinson was unmoved by the appeals. And it was certainly accurately reflected in the final outcome as Chelsea's juggernaut rolled on.

Cesc Fabregas faced his former club Arsenal for Chelsea on Sunday . He was taunted by Arsenal fans early in the game . But the Spaniard got on with his job, producing a brilliant performance . He recorded a passing accuracy of 88 per cent . Fabregas capped his afternoon with assist for Diego Costa .

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By . Paul Donnelley for MailOnline . When it comes to choosing a home-grown apple, Peter Collett is spoilt for choice. For the 83-year-old has 50 varieties growing on a single tree. Mr Collett grafted buds from a range of apple plants on to an established specimen to produce the amazing tree. Scroll down for video . He has a total of 130 types of apple in a half-acre garden in Tangmere, West Sussex, that he has spent the past 30 years cultivating, including some of the rarest and most historic English varieties. He grows 30 other types of fruit including pears, plums, cherries, quince and pomegranate. Mr Collett, whose produce has won awards, is a member of the Royal Horticultural Society Fruit Group Committee and judges RHS competitions. One of the rarest apples in his orchard is Ashmead’s Kernel, first grown in Gloucestershire in the 1700s. Other varieties never seen on supermarket shelves including Howgate Wonder, Red Devil, Laxton’s Epicure, Spartan and Crawley Beauty. Among the smallest he grows is Api Noir, which dates back to Roman times. The retired headmaster first developed a love for apples during the Second World War when he spent his summer holidays picking fruit near his childhood home in Norfolk. ‘We were given extra-long holidays so that we could help bring in the fruit harvest,’ he said. The retired headmaster developed a love for apples during the Second World War (left) when he spent his summer holidays picking fruit near his childhood home in Norfolk; Mr Collett and his wife Jean now (right) eat the apples raw, baked or in crumbles and swap some with his neighbour for 'tasty' sausages and bacon . ‘I started working on one particular fruit farm in 1943 and I returned there for the following six years because I loved it. My grandfather and great-grandfather were gardeners so it was in my blood. That first taste of ripe fruits at the peak of their perfection will remain with me for ever. I vowed I would one day achieve the same results. Britain has hundreds of varieties of apple and they are all particular to a certain area so I started to grow apple trees that came from areas that meant something to me. Peter Collett marks each area of the tree with a tag (right) so that he knows which apple is which . ‘I have apples from Norfolk where I grew up, from Hampshire where I was a teacher and from Sussex where I live now.’ He and his wife Jean, who have four children, three grandchildren and a great-grandson, eat the fruits of his labour raw, baked or in crumbles. Any left over get fed to his neighbour’s pigs, along with the windfalls. ‘It’s the most basic form of trade – and the sausages and bacon I get back are very tasty indeed,’ he said.

Peter Collett, 83, had his interest in apples piqued during WW2 . Mr Collett grafted buds from a range of apple plants on to an established specimen to produce his tree . One of the rarest apples in his orchard is Ashmead’s Kernel, first grown in Gloucestershire in the 1700s .

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A top Conservative MP invited a paedophile business consultant to the House of Commons for lunch meetings, it has been reported. Sir Edward Leigh, 64, held meetings inside Westminster where he entertained an entrepreneur who has been convicted of making thousands of indecent images of children. Businessman Duncan Breeze was given privileged access to parliament buildings as recently as a few months ago, it has been claimed. Sir Edward Leigh invited paedophile business consultant Duncan Breeze to the House of Commons for lunch . The 39-year-old was jailed in 2007 for two years after 4,270 'sickening' images of minors were found on his computers and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. Now out of prison, Mr Breeze - once a musician and actor - is a consultant to a company which provides income support for the unemployed, according to the Sunday Mirror. Sir Edward, who is non-executive chairman for that company, has defended the meetings and there is no suggestion that by doing so broke any rules. The MP for Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, would have had to approve Breeze's attendance in the House of Commons under strict security rules, and special pass would have been issued. He told the newspaper: 'Duncan Breeze told me he had a conviction. As far as I'm concerned, it is in the past. 'I believe in redemption and forgiveness. He has served his time. His former life is nothing to do with me.' Duncan Breeze (pictured in a head shot from his days as an actor, in 2003) was jailed for two years after thousands of indecent images of children were discovered on three computers at his home . Speaking in the House of Commons in July, the former chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, said: 'Children are targeted in conflict situations for sexual attacks. 'Girls and boys make up more than half the rape cases in such conflicts and that is an appalling statistic. Imagine the appalling emotional trauma of that.' Sir Edward, who was knighted in 2013 and has been an MP for over 30 years, has also previously spoken out about 'soft jail terms', blasting them as serving 'little purpose'. Mr Breeze told The Sunday Mirror that he had met with the politician about three times at his parliamentary office and claims his conviction was raised to him before he did any consultancy work. He has maintained his innocence since the child pornography was first discovered on devices at his former home in Sandy, Bedfordshire, and his parents' home in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset. Breeze said he had been to meetings at Sir Edward's office in Westminster on about three occasions . During his trial at Luton Crown Court, the jury was told that images were found on three computers and were made between 2001 and 2004. He was arrested in 2004 after police were alerted by Croatian law enforcement agencies . Breeze, who now lives in Oxted, Surrey, believes the pornography was downloaded by an employee and lodged an appeal through the European Court to have his conviction quashed. 'I know I'm innocent. I know I've done nothing wrong and I know I've got evidence which proves that. I just can't make the court accept that yet,' he told the paper. The consultant, who operates on an ad-hoc basis, also questioned whether he was supposed to check with every company he works with that they might be in the 'public interest'.

Sir Edward Leigh, 64, held meetings in Westminster with businessman . Duncan Breeze was jailed after thousands of indecent images were found . He is now a consultant to a company of which Sir Edward is the chairman . Meetings in parliament building are not thought to have broken any rules . Sir Edward has defended relationship and said he believes in 'redemption'

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By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 04:57 EST, 12 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:31 EST, 12 February 2013 . Long battle: Former school dinner lady Carol Hill has won the right to compensation two years after winning a claim for wrongful dismissal . A school dinner lady who was sacked after telling a seven-year-old girl's parents about a 'brutal' bullying incident has won her two-year battle to get compensation for wrongful dismissal. Carol Hill, 61, was devastated when she was suspended from Great Tey Primary School in Colchester, Essex, after she inadvertently told a pupil's parents about the bullying in June 2009. Mrs Hill spoke to the press about her shock at her suspension and was then sacked in September 2009 by the headteacher for 'breach of confidentiality'. Mrs Hill then began her campaign for justice. As the Mail reported at the time, Mrs Hill - who supervised pupils' games at lunchtime - had gone to the aid of a seven-year-old girl who had been tied to a fence and whipped with a skipping rope by four children. When Mrs Hill later bumped into the schoolgirl’s parents at a Beaver Scouts meeting, she assumed they had been told and asked how she was – only to discover they had been informed she had suffered a ‘minor accident’. The girl — who had rope burns on her wrist and red welts on her thigh — had been sent home with a note for her parents stating only that she had been hurt in a 'skipping rope incident'. An employment tribunal in January 2011 found Mrs Hill had been unfairly dismissed but her compensation was cut at a second hearing because she had spoken to the press about her ordeal. However, an employment appeal tribunal has found the decision was wrong. She will get at least £600, but could get more pending a further hearing. Dismissal: Carol Hill was sacked from Great Tey Primary School, in Essex, after telling a pupil's parents about a bullying incident in June 2009 . Constant reminder: Carol Hill, who worked at the school for seven years, can see the playing fields from the end of her garden . Mrs Hill, from Great Tey, said: 'It has been a horrible ordeal but I feel a step closer to justice. 'I was never doing it for the money, I was doing it because I believe what I did was right. 'I was getting blamed for doing something I truly believed was right. 'It the principle I was fighting for, it was never about the money, although I am happy about the outcome now.' Mrs Hill now works as a cleaner around the village but misses dealing with children. Mrs Hill was suspended by the school's headteacher Debbie Crabb, pictured, before being dismissed for 'breach of confidentiality' She said: 'I loved that job, I would definitely still be doing it if this has not happened. 'It is a real rollercoaster ride, one minute you're up and the next you're down. 'I am delighted with the outcome.' Mrs Hill was initially suspended by Debbie Crabb, headteacher at the primary school in July 2009, and was fired in September after speaking to the press about her ordeal. A statement from Great Tey Primary School, in Chrismund Way, said: 'The employment appeal tribunal upheld Mrs Hill's appeal into her compensation payout following dismissal from Great Tey Primary School. 'It does not change the outcome of the overall case but there may need to be a further liabilities hearing at an employment tribunal to reassess the amount originally awarded.' Speaking after she first won her case for unfair dismissal in 2011, Mrs Hill told of her distress over the ordeal. She said: 'I lost weight and my hair thinned because of the stress. 'The worst part was not being at the school any more. Not because of the money – but because of the job itself. I love kids and to be taken away from them like I was some sort of criminal was heartbreaking. 'I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I lost weight, I snapped at people, I suffered high blood pressure, but now I feel vindicated and can hold my head up high again. 'I know I couldn’t have lived with myself having seen what I saw and keeping quiet. Another hurdle: Mrs Hill won her employment tribunal for wrongful dismissal in 2011 but had her compensation cut for speaking to the press about her ordeal . 'It was important for me to fight for my job, even though I earned only £125 a month, because I thought I was right. 'What mother wouldn’t want to know that their child had been tied up and whipped with a skipping rope?’ Dave Prentis, general secretary of public sector Unison, said: 'Carol has been put through a terrible ordeal by the school and lost a job she truly loved. 'The value of someone being free to speak out against injustice must be upheld and this decision by the employment appeal tribunal strengthens and clarifies this important principle.' Victory: Two years after winning her wrongful dismissal claim, Mrs Hill has had the decision to cut her compensation overturned .

Carol Hill worked at Great Tey Primary School in Essex for seven years . She was sacked for telling parents the details of a bullying incident in 2009 . Girl, 7, had been tied up and whipped with a skipping rope by 4 schoolboys . Mrs Hill won her wrongful dismissal claim in 2011 but not compensation . Two years on, she has finally won the right to compensation over sacking .

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Australians have become more daring in the bedroom, with risque sexual acts practised more frequently and being embraced at younger ages, a new study reveals. Compared to a decade ago, people have become more open to premarital sex, abortion and homosexuality, liberating couples to engage in a varied sex life. Despite people being more adventurous in their sex life, researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), La Trobe University and the University of Sydney also found that couples are having sex less compared to 10 years ago. Australians have become more daring in the bedroom, with risque sexual acts practised more frequently and being embraced at younger ages . Compared to a decade ago, people have become more open to premarital sex, abortion and homosexuality, liberating couples to engage in a varied sex life . Around 20,000 people aged between 16 and 69 told researchers over the phone that on average they have sex approximately 1.4 times a week, less than 0.4 times than Australians a decade ago. The younger they were, the more sex they were having but even people in their 60s admitted to engaging in the practice at least once a week. Professor Juliet Richters, lead researcher from UNSW, said that the frequency of sex among those surveyed came as a shock. 'We thought it was a mistake, but a recent British national survey had the same finding,' Professor Richters told The Age. With technology taking over our daily routine, Professor Richters suggests the time spent online could be impacting our sex lives. 'I would have thought take a mobile phone to bed might have something to do with it', she said. With technology taking over our daily routine, Professor Juliet Richters from UNSW suggests the time spent online could be impacting our sex lives . Even though people these days are having less sex, nearly 90 per cent of men and 75 per cent of women admit that they are very much enjoying their sexual encounters. The country's largest study of sexual activity and attitudes found that over 92 per cent of heterosexual people are having vaginal sex, 86 per cent of men and 80 per cent of women are engaging in oral sex and 25 per cent of men and 19 per cent of women have had anal sex. Oral and anal sex was more common among 30 to 49 year-olds. 'We're entering a more exploratory, diverse time,' said Dr Chris Rissel, public health researcher from The University of Sydney. 'I think what we've probably got is a less dramatic change than the 1960s but across a wider range of the population. We've got more exploration, more diversity, across a wider age group.' Nearly half of the people under 60 also admitted to watching pornography compared to a decade ago. Despite this, around 95 per cent of people demand exclusivity in their relationship, The Australian Study of Health and Reproduction revealed. Monogimy has remained a number one priority in relationships, with around 95 per cent of people demanding exclusivity in their relationship .

Researchers from University of New South Wales, La Trobe University and The University of Sydney spoke to 20,000 people aged between 16 and 69 . They found that Australians are frequently engaging in more daring acts in the bedroom . Couples are having sex around 1.4 times a week, compared with 1.8 times 10 years ago . The younger they were, the more sex they were having . People in their 60s admit to having sex at least once a week .

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By . Ap Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:49 EST, 9 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:06 EST, 9 December 2013 . At least seven current and former Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were arrested Monday by the FBI as part of an ongoing investigation of inmate abuse in the nation's largest jail system. A law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the arrests who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity confirmed the arrests of lower to mid-ranking deputies by federal agents. The official said no assistant sheriffs or undersheriff had been arrested. Federal authorities called a news conference Monday afternoon to announce criminal corruption and civil rights charges filed in the case. 'Corruprt': Nearly 20 sheriff's deputies have been hit with corruption and other charges . The FBI has been investigating allegations of excessive force and other misconduct at the county's jails since at least 2011. The official said the arrests were related to the abuse of individuals in the jail system and also allegations that sheriff's officials moved an FBI informant in the jails possibly to thwart their probe. Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said he was aware of an indictment but referred calls to the FBI. He said Sheriff Lee Baca would provide a comment later Monday afternoon. 'We've cooperated fully with the FBI in their investigation and we'll continue to do so,' Whitmore said. Massive: The Los Angeles County Jail is the largest county jail system in the entire country . Baca has acknowledged mistakes to a county commission reviewing reports of brutality, but he has also defended his department and distanced himself personally from the allegations. He said he's made improvements including creating a database to track inmate complaints. Baca has also hired a new head of custody and rearranged his command staff. Bad timing: The arrests come as Sheriff Lee Baca faces a tough re-election campaign . The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Sheriff's Department in 2012 claiming the sheriff and his top commanders had condoned violence against inmates. The organization released a report documenting more than 70 cases of misconduct by deputies. Last month the county announced the appointment of veteran Los Angeles County prosecutor Max Huntsman to head a new office of inspector general that will oversee the Sheriff's Department.

Federal investigators say the deputies abused inmates . The deputies allegedly tried to keep an FBI informant from talking to investigators . Los Angeles is home to the largest county jail system in the country .

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Prominent Chinese-Australian artist Guo Jian has been detained by Chinese authorities ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown, according to friends. His arrest came soon after the artist was profiled in a Financial Times article, which featured his latest installation -- a diorama of Tiananmen Square covered in ground meat. In the article, Guo was highly critical of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) actions during the 1989 incident, in which he served in the late 1970s. Guo was taken from his home in eastern Beijing on Sunday night, and contacted friends by text message to let them know that he had been arrested. Friends contacted by text message . Artist Melanie Wang told the Sydney Morning Herald she called Guo after receiving a text message and he told her he'd been taken to a detention center. He said officers said he'd be released in 15 days. Guo was an active participant in the 1989 demonstrations, which lasted weeks and culminated in PLA troops opening fire on a largely student crowd which had occupied the central Beijing landmark. Guo, it was revealed in the FT's "Lunch with the FT" article, published on May 30, also took part in a hunger strike at the time of the student protests. Another of Guo's friends told CNN he phoned the artist Sunday night to talk about the FT article. After receiving no answer, the artist sent a message back, saying that he was "with police" and then a following SMS saying, "don't call me." Following this, the friend received another message, this time in Chinese, saying he had gone to Tongzhou police station, near the Songzhuang art colony where he lives and works. Protesters march ahead of anniversary . Artwork "provocative" "I would characterize his (new artwork) as somewhat provocative so I assume that, plus the month we are in, and imminent anniversaries, might have had something to do with it," the friend said. The person added that Guo was well aware of the risks that creating art of this nature might engender. "The purpose of the installation was a commemoration of the Tiananmen massacre. He's not naïve about this stuff, he's fully aware of how things can go down." Prior to finishing the project, Guo asked the friend not to tell anyone about it, for fear that the authorities would stop him from working on it. Australian support . The Australian government released a statement Monday, offering its assistance to the artist, who holds an Australian passport. "The Australian Embassy in Beijing has contacted Chinese authorities to seek further information on the reported detention of Mr Guo Jian and to underline our strong interest in the matter," a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said. "The Australian Government stands ready to extend all possible consular assistance to Mr Guo." Amnesty International released a statement Monday condemning Guo's arrest, and noted that detentions have been on the rise in the build up to the 25th anniversary, compared to previous years. Authorities across the country have arrested a number of prominent dissidents and critics of the government ahead of the anniversary of the massacre, which falls on June 4. "Guo Jian is the latest victim of the Chinese authorities' merciless campaign of repression ahead of the Tiananmen anniversary," said William Nee, China Researcher at Amnesty International. "He along with the scores of others detained for peacefully speaking out about the bloodshed of 1989 must be immediately released." "Highest" levels of freedom . When asked about criticism of China's human rights record, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Hua Chunying previously told CNN that human rights shouldn't been viewed in the "criteria of the United States." "Our society is moving forward, the living standards of people have improved and level of freedoms are at their highest," she said. In the FT article, Guo recalled the moment, 25 years ago, when troops opened fire on the Tiananmen demonstrators. "I didn't believe it, even though I had been a soldier," Guo is reported as saying. "In the army I had never seen that sort of violence. Then I saw the tracers and people falling around me -- they were just gone. I suddenly realised, shit, this was war." No official count has ever been released, but estimates of the dead in the incident range from hundreds to thousands, most of whom were killed by PLA soldiers.

Artist Guo Jian detained by Chinese authorities . Detention comes after publication of article in which artist criticized Chinese army . Guo was a protester at the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown . Latest artwork a commemoration of events in which hundreds of protesters were killed .

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(CNN)In honor of the Oscars, this story will be 7,633 words long, padded out with flowery phrases and belabored metaphors, leavened with a surprise adjective or two and summed up by a yawning and expected conclusion. Just kidding. Well, at least about the number of words. We can't promise anything about the rest. But that's the thing about the Oscars. So much of what they present (and represent) is predictable: amusement and pageantry, self-importance about the role of movies and occasional stretches of dullness. (Well, there ARE 24 awards to give out.) Still, you never know when the show will surprise -- and even entertain. This year, for the 87th Academy Awards, the "entertainment" portion will be helped immeasurably by the inclusion of host Neil Patrick Harris, who has proven himself to be an all-star performer with his turns at the Tonys and Emmys. And a number of award categories -- including best picture -- are still undecided, unlike recent years when many top winners seemed preordained. So grab some popcorn and an Oscar ballot. Here's what you can expect from this year's show. Who should win an Oscar? Cast your vote . Joan Rivers is gone. The comedian and longtime red-carpet maven died last September, and love her or hate her, she always added some zip to the red-carpet procession, from popularizing the question "Who are you wearing?" to calling out faux pas on "Fashion Police." This year's red carpet -- coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET -- is less colorful for her loss. Nevertheless, plenty of color (and color commentary) will remain. Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic are hosting on E!, while ABC will trot out Robin Roberts, Lara Spencer and Michael Strahan. The weather forecast calls for a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the mid-60s and a 10% chance of rain. Sparkling Oscar weather, in other words. When Neil Patrick Harris hosts your show, you know you're in for a good time. His song-and-dance moves at the Tonys -- which he's hosted four times -- have earned raves. And though the 2013 Emmys proved unexpectedly dull, he wasn't blamed. So now Doogie Howser is hosting the Oscars. It won't be Harris' first time on the Academy Award stage -- he opened the show in 2010 -- but it's his debut as the show's emcee. He's aware of the challenges. Ellen DeGeneres did a good job last year, but all anyone remembers is her selfie. And Hugh Jackman, another ace song-and-dance man, hosted the show in 2009. He got nice reviews. Recall anything else? "In many ways, it's lose-lose," Harris told the Los Angeles Times. "There's so much scrutiny. And so much anticipation, and so many (Oscar-viewing) parties where people are hoping that things go wrong. It's not really an audience wanting you to win." The 42 people scheduled to hand out awards Sunday range from 80-year-old Shirley MacLaine to 18-year-old Chloe Grace Moretz, from perennial nominee Meryl Streep to newcomer Ansel Elgort. Perhaps in an effort to appeal to younger viewers, only five of the presenters are over 50. And the academy may be mindful of complaints this year about the all-white slate of acting nominees. More than one-quarter of the scheduled presenters are black, including Oprah Winfrey and perceived best actor snubee David Oyelowo, both from "Selma." Yes, reading off lists of nominees can be a little dull. So who's going to bring the funny? We're pinning our hopes on Kevin Hart, Jason Bateman and Eddie Murphy. Count on Oscars for Julianne Moore (best actress, "Still Alice"), J.K. Simmons (best supporting actor, "Whiplash") and Patricia Arquette (best supporting actress, "Boyhood"). After that things get less predictable. Best actor is a two-way race between sentimental favorite Michael Keaton ("Birdman") and upstart Eddie Redmayne ("The Theory of Everything"). And best picture? "Birdman" appears to have a slight edge over "Boyhood," with "The Imitation Game" as a long-shot contender. Some people think "American Sniper's" blockbuster status gives it a chance, but liberal Hollywood may be loath to reward a movie so beloved by right-wing America. Oscars 2015: Who will win and who should win . If you're looking for a full slate of predictions for your Oscars pool, Gold Derby is a pretty good handicapper. By now, after the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards and other awards shows, we have some idea of what the front-runners might say if they win. Based on recent history, Keaton may get teary and thank his handsome son Sean, while Redmayne and Moore might dedicate their awards to people coping with ALS and Alzheimer's, respectively. Arquette might mention her lineage as a descendant of actors, and Simmons may thank "Whiplash" co-star Miles Teller for how he "inspired me every day to want to scream at him and hit him in the face." In recent years, the academy hasn't really known what to do with the songs. Occasionally they're a highlight -- Bob Dylan's "Things Have Changed" and Robin Williams' "Blame Canada" come to mind -- but, more often, they're an excuse for a bathroom break, or not performed at all. This year features five songs with intriguing back stories. You've got "Glory," the gospel-tinged Common-John Legend collaboration that's one of just two nominations received by "Selma"; Tegan and Sara's puckish "Everything Is Awesome!", the only nomination for "The Lego Movie"; "I'm Not Gonna Miss You," a wrenching swan song from the Alzheimer's-stricken Glen Campbell; "Grateful," from the overlooked "Beyond the Lights" but written by the anything-but-overlooked Diane Warren; and "Lost Stars," from "Begin Again," which was directed by "Once's" John Carney and performed by Maroon 5's Adam Levine. "Glory" will probably win -- it's been justifiably celebrated -- but for once, best song may be one of the strongest categories at the Oscars. (All except for Campbell's song are being performed by the original artists; Tim McGraw will sing "I'm Not Gonna Miss You.") Find other moments to go to the bathroom. Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have also promised "several musical sequences" featuring such names as Jennifer Hudson and Lady Gaga, according to the academy's website, and "Let It Go" songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are writing a number for Neil Patrick Harris. Did we mention John Travolta is back? A year after he mangled singer Idina Menzel's name as "Adele Nazeem," Travolta has somehow been invited back to redeem himself as a presenter. (Maybe they'll ask him to introduce best live action short film, where Oded Binnun, Hu Wei and Talkhon Hamzavi await.) Let's be honest: Many of us watch the Oscars not for the awards but for the high-wire risks of live TV: the fumbled speeches, the wardrobe malfunctions, the chance that someone will do or say something crazy. Jack Black, Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey will be speaking live, too. Just saying.

The 87th Academy Awards air Sunday night on ABC . Host will be Neil Patrick Harris, who has proven himself at the Tonys and Emmys . "Birdman," "Boyhood" are front-runners for best picture .

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England is the only developed country producing school leavers who are worse at maths and reading than their grandparents, according to a damning report. The study found 16 to 24-year-olds are among the least literate and numerate in the world, lagging behind those in countries including Estonia, Poland and the Slovak Republic. England came 22nd out of 24 countries for the reading skills of its young people and 21st for maths, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Damning report: An international study has found that the UK's young people are 'among the least literate and numerate in the developed world' (file picture) The figures showed many Japanese school leavers are more advanced than English university graduates. The OECD said England was the only country where the oldest age group  studied (55-65) had a higher proficiency in  literacy and numeracy than the youngest (16-24) after other factors such as sex, socio-economic background and type of occupation were taken into account. The organisation warned England would struggle with competitors in global markets unless urgent action was taken. The Tories said the report exposed the failings of Labour during its 13 years in power. ‘These are Labour’s children, educated under a Labour government and force-fed a diet of dumbing down and low expectations,’ said skills and enterprise minister Matthew Hancock. Labour came to power in 1997 after Tony Blair pledged his priority would be ‘education, education, education’. England was the only country in developed world in which those aged 55-65 performed better than 16-24-year-olds . Today's . findings show that the billions poured into education by Labour failed . to push up standards of literacy and numeracy, critics have said. The . Government has claimed that the OECD's research underlines who . 'Labour's children, educated under a Labour government and force-fed a . diet of dumbing down and low expectations.' Official . figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown that . Labour’s spending on education rose from £35.3billion in 2000 to . £63.9billion in 2009. Yet it appears large numbers left school with no improvements in standards when compared to previous generations. Last year a different report found despite Tony Blair declaring his priorities as ‘education, education, . education’ when he swept to power in 1997, a huge increase in spending . on schools led to ‘no improvement in student learning outcomes’. The OECD study – Education at a Glance – found that expenditure on . UK primary and secondary schools and colleges as a percentage of GDP . increased from 3.6 per cent in 1995 to 4.5 per cent in 2009, higher than . the OECD average of four per cent. At the same time, there has been ‘no improvement in student learning outcomes’, the report said . Spending in the sector soared by 78 . per cent from £50billion to £89billion by the time the party lost the . election in 2010. During this period, GCSE and A-level grades rose every . year, which critics claimed was evidence of dumbing down. Andreas . Schleicher, of the OECD, said young adults had more qualifications than . those nearing retirement, but not greater abilities. This indicated that there had been grade inflation and that qualifications did not necessarily mean better skills. The finding ‘doesn’t look good for the UK’, Mr Schleicher said. The 466-page study was the first carried out by the OECD into the work skills of 16  to 65-year-olds, establishing their abilities in literacy, numeracy and problem solving. A total of 166,000 were interviewed in 24 countries, including 9,000 in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland and Wales were not covered. The study found a quarter of adults in England (8.5million) have the maths skills of a ten-year-old, with a large minority only able to perform sums with whole numbers. Literacy levels are also below average, with 16.4 per cent of adults (5.8million) reading at the level of a child in the penultimate year of primary school. Just 42.4 per cent of young adults were proficient in problem solving. This was around 8 percentage points less than the average of 50.7 per cent, and 21 behind the best-performing country, South Korea. Not moving forward: This chart from the report shows how Britain's young people and older people are roughly at the same level, whereas countries like Korea are showing huge improvement between generations . Picture of Britain: This graph shows how the UK compared to other industrial nations when it came to numeracy . Interesting: Countries like Japan, Netherlands and Sweden were the top performing in terms of literacy, even though children start school often years later than British youngsters . England produced 8 per cent of the world’s most highly skilled workers in the late 1960s and 70s. This has dropped to 4 per cent and the trend is expected to continue. The report said the ‘talent pool of highly skilled adults in England... is likely to shrink relative to that of other countries’ in the next few decades. The slide could be reversed only if ‘significant action is taken to improve skills proficiency among young people’. England also lags behind other nations in the proportion of people continuing with education into adulthood. One positive note was that the country has been successful in making good use of its pool of skilled talent, resulting in high productivity and wages. The Coalition has taken steps to improve education, demanding an end to grade inflation and making courses and exams tougher. The number of top GCSE and A-level grades has now decreased for the past two years. John Allan, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: ‘The OECD report highlights what our members tell us – that young people don’t have the literacy and numeracy skills to do the job properly. We need action to improve these crucial basic skills from an early age.’ The shadow education secretary, Tristram Hunt, defended Labour’s record, saying it ‘drove up standards in maths and English across our schools, evident in the huge improvements we saw in GCSE results between 1997 and 2010’. Failed? The Government said today this generation of young people are 'Labour's children' 'force-fed a diet of dumbing down and low expectations' Mike Harris, of the Institute of Directors, said the report ‘underlines the credibility gap between the picture painted by decades of rises in exam pass rates and employers’ real-world experience of interviewing and employing people’. Former Labour education and employment secretary David Blunkett questioned the OECD’s methodology and said the report ‘warranted united action, not party political point scoring’. Education has undergone massive change since Labour began replacing grammar schools with the comprehensive system in 1965. In 1988 GCSEs replaced O-levels and the National Curriculum was introduced, and in 1997 Labour abolished the Assisted Places Scheme awarding free places at fee-paying schools to gifted children from low or middle-income families. The academy schools programme began in 2000, with schools funded by the state and made independent of local government control. In 2010 the Coalition launched free schools, which are similar to academies  but can be set up by groups including parents, teachers, charities. Participants in the skills survey were asked to answer a series of questions testing their numeracy, literacy and problem solving. Here are some examples: . NUMERACY . LITERACY .

'Deeply worrying' report shows scale of problems with UK education system . Literacy and numeracy tables show England 22 and 21 out of 24 countries . 'School leavers among the least literate and numerate in developed world' Government calls them 'Labour’s children force-fed a diet of dumbing down' Report's author OECD admits research 'doesn’t look good for the UK' England only country where those retiring have better skills than the young . Labour says years of rising GCSE grades proves they 'drove up standards'

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(CNN) -- Last week, the Internet was buzzing with the news that a DNA test of white supremacist Craig Cobb revealed that 14% of his genes originated in sub-Saharan Africa. The look on Cobb's face as he received the news? Priceless. Cobb appeared on "The Trisha Show" and discussed his plans to create an all-white town for white supremacists in Leith, North Dakota. "Whites are the highest expression of DNA on the planet," he said on the show. When Cobb received the DNA results, he wrote it off. "This is called statistical noise," Cobb responded. "Oil and water don't mix." Well, apparently we aren't talking oil and water, are we Mr. Cobb? We're talking human beings -- and they've been mixing since the beginning of time. That history is what created the "one-drop rule" in America: a legal classification that held that anyone with as little as "one drop" of African or black ancestry was to be categorized as black and treated accordingly. Until 1967, when it was ruled unconstitutional, the "one-drop rule" provided the legal and quantitative definition of blackness, and whiteness. So while Cobb might "look white" today, in 1813 or 1913, his 14% African ancestry would have been more than enough to render him black by law. In 2013, however, the irony of his heritage shows just how nuanced racial identity is beyond skin color. During the period of American slavery, 1619 to 1865, freedom was predicated on skin color. If you were white, you were free; if you were black, you were enslaved. But this simple social order soon became complicated by miscegenation; and with the rampant increase in racial mixing, the lines between white and black, free and enslaved, became more and more blurred. Whites were afraid of losing their control over the enslaved population. They needed to maintain a firm color line. So, state governments began instituting anti-miscegenation laws. Various and varying articulations of the "one-drop rule" emerged: a classification that held that anyone from 1/8 to 1/16 to 1/32 to any known trace of African or black ancestry was to be categorized as black and treated accordingly. How that "drop" was measured varied from state to state. The rhetoric of white supremacy not only argued that the races were distinctly different, but also that the black race specifically was inferior, therefore justifying enslavement. Mixing, then, lowered human quality. In order to maintain its superiority, whiteness had to remain pure. So, what it meant to be white was to be free of "otherness" in general, blackness, specifically. In this way, miscegenation was a threat to the survival of the white race. The "one-drop rule," then, became critical in its defense. To be white in America was to be "pure." Or was it? A 2002 study of racial admixture conducted by Penn State University molecular anthropologist Mark Shriver showed that among those who self-identify as white, upward of 30% have at least 2.3% African ancestry -- the equivalent of having had three black ancestors somewhere within the previous five generations of their family. What that means, then, is that 30% of the folks who call themselves white have much more than one drop, including white supremacist Craig Cobb. DNA testing also reveals that somewhere around 60% of black Americans have white ancestry, Shriver's study found. Taken together, it's clear that racial purity is as much a delusion as white supremacy. Blood does not define identity. Although the "one-drop rule" in many ways serves foundational to black American racial identity, and has functioned to draw borders around the black community as we know it, one drop of "blackness" -- whatever that is -- does not constitute black identity. Blackness, as an identity and as a lived experience, is much more complex and nuanced than any number of drops on a family tree. Blackness is as much about who creates you as it is about what you make of yourself. So, while I was thoroughly amused by the sight of Craig Cobb's face when he learned that he, too, is "of African descent," I am clear that those DNA test results do not magically make him black; no number of drops ever could. And blackness is too beautiful to be forced upon people who don't want it. So no worries, Mr. Cobb, your secret's safe with me. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Yaba Blay.

White supremacist Craig Cobb learned that 14% of his genes originated in sub-Saharan Africa . That would make him legally "black" under America's one-drop rule, Yaba Blay says . The "one-drop rule" provided the legal and quantitative definition of blackness, and whiteness . Blay: Irony of Cobb's heritage shows how nuanced racial identity is beyond skin color .

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By . Kieran Corcoran . and Daily Mail Reporter . After fleeing a city tower block in search of the good life, Matthew Lepley and Jules Smith spent five years sleeping in a tent and living off the land in a bid to build Britain’s greenest home. Armed with an axe and hand tools, they pieced together scrap metal, tyres and wooden crates until a one-bedroom cabin – complete with compost toilet – rose out of the muddy field they had bought. Now the couple have been served with an enforcement notice to tear it all down – because it was against their eco-friendly beliefs to apply for planning permission. Eco-palace: Matthew Lepley and Jules Smith's home, called Silent Haven, took five years to build . Country retreat: Ms Smith, left, and Mr Lepley, right, left London five years ago to embark on their project . Planning row: Officials from Torridge District Council have now said that the home must be torn down . (In)convenience: The couple have an outdoor compost toilet . They argue that the process would have wasted too much paper and energy. Mr Lepley, 34, said: ‘We wanted to build a home that would let us truly live as one with nature. ‘The . process was a lot slower but it was extremely satisfying. We wanted to . reduce carbon emissions as much as possible. We took the decision to . build without planning permission because the council’s procedure is not . environmentally  friendly enough and it goes against our personal . principles.’ Five years . ago, Mr Lepley and 54-year-old partner Miss Smith left jobs as carers . and moved out of the tower block in Wood Green, north London, where they . were living. They bought a . 20-acre field in Beaworthy, Devon, put aside £20,000 for construction . costs, and set about scouring farmland and scrap yards for unwanted . materials which they could use to build their home. Inside: The couple prepare a meal in their eco-home's kitchen . Heating: Mr Lepley stokes with wood-burning stove to keep the house warm . Attic room: The two pose in the bedroom of their painstakingly-contructed home, made in part from scrap . Happy scrubbing: The couple's bathroom gets heated water from a wood-fired tank . At one with nature: The couple keeps ducks, which provide eggs, and also have sheep for wool and a vegetable plot . They . built foundations out of tractor tyres filled with gravel and used . haulage pallets and railway sleepers to construct the walls and roof. Today the house is made up of just one bedroom, a living room, kitchen and bathroom. Water is drawn out of the ground via a bore hole and they use an outdoor compost toilet. And . just like Barbara and Tom from BBC sitcom The Good Life they grown . their own fruit and veg and rear animals – ducks for their eggs and . sheep for their wool. Because . they have no electricity, they keep their food cool in an underground . ‘fridge’ – a compartment dug two and a half feet deep. The couple say their neighbours were initially supportive of their ambition to live self-sufficiently. They . were relying on locals not alerting the council to their project so . they would be given automatic planning permission after four years. But . two years into the build, the couple say locals changed their tune when . they revealed plans to run an eco-friendly retreat and host green . workshops in their field. Under construction: The couple built the house, pictured during the process, without using any power tools . Order: Torridge District Council in Devon have told the couple they must tear the house down . Handiwork: Mr Lepley and Ms Smith decided against using power tools for the whole of the five-year construction period . Resourceful: The wood to make the house was partly sourced from old lorry crates . A neighbour gathered ten signatures and submitted the petition to Torridge District Council. Mr . Lepley and Miss Smith appealed against the first enforcement notice . three years ago and are now in the process of appealing against the . second one. Mr Lepley, who earns a living selling homemade produce and . doing part-time care work, said: ‘What we’ve done isn’t illegal. ‘We’ve . had a lot of drama with the neighbours. Some have been really . supportive while others have gone against us and started a petition. ‘The . idea of the conservation project was to provide retreat accommodation . and run courses and workshops on sustainable living.  The house and . surrounding land enables us to be totally self-sufficient. This life is . not for everyone but we love it. We would be devastated if we had to . knock down.’ A council . spokesman said: ‘I can confirm Torridge District Council has served an . enforcement notice that they remove the structure. ‘However, as it has now gone to appeal, we have to wait for the inspector’s decision before we can take any further action.’

Matthew Lepley, 34, and Jules Smith, 54, left London five years ago to build their dream house in the countryside . They used railway sleepers, lorry tyres and scrap metal to build up the house, and used no power tools . Home has an outdoor compost toilet, no power or running water, and an underground pantry instead of a fridge . The couple are now facing an order from Torridge District Council in Devon to tear down their home after complaints . They decided not to apply for planning permissions because the process uses up too much paper and electricity .

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(CNN) -- The son of Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin died from "fresh water drowning" and there was no evidence of foul play, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, police said Wednesday. The body of Michael Philbin, 21, was pulled from a river Monday, a day after he went missing while in Oshkosh to visit friends, police said. Toxicology results from the autopsy, conducted Tuesday, will not be available for several weeks, according to a police statement. "We love Michael so much and will miss him dearly," Joe Philbin said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. "He loved his family, friends and life. His memory will live on in the hearts and minds of all who knew him." Philbin thanked the agencies that assisted in the search and expressed gratitude for "the prayers and the support of our family, friends and the Packers family." On behalf of the team, Packers general manager Ted Thompson said everyone's thoughts and prayers were with the family. "This is an emotional and difficult time for them, and we ask that everyone respect their privacy," he said. "All of us in the Packers family share in their grief." The body was found Monday in the Fox River after Oshkosh police put out an alert asking citizens for help locate Philbin, who lived about 20 miles away in Ripon. His last known communication was at 2 a.m. Sunday, police said. "He talked to a friend. He didn't sound like he was under duress or he had any medical condition," police spokesman Joe Nichols told CNN affiliate WTMJ on Monday. "The phone conversation ended, and that was the last time someone had voice contact." Michael Philbin was the second-eldest of six children of Joe Philbin and his wife, Diane, according to the Packers' website. His funeral is set for Friday. His father coached for 19 years at college football programs before coming to Green Bay in 2003 as an assistant offensive line coach. He became the team's offensive coordinator in 2007 and played a significant part in the Packers' league-best 15-1 regular season record this season. CNN's Kara Devlin contributed to this report.

Michael Philbin, 21, went missing Sunday in Oshkosh, Wisconsin . Searchers pulled his body from a river on Monday . Toxicology results will be available in several weeks, police say . There was no evidence of foul play, police say .

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By . Nick Craven and Martyn Halle . PUBLISHED: . 19:46 EST, 23 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:47 EST, 23 March 2013 . A senior surgeon has been banned from operating at a children’s heart unit facing closure after it was condemned for excessive death rates. The consultant surgeon at Leeds Children’s Hospital last week agreed not to conduct any more procedures until concerns raised about ‘aspects of his practice’ were investigated. The hospital, already earmarked to lose its cardiac surgery department under an NHS review, last night refused to name the surgeon – one of only four in the cardiac department – and had released no public information about his agreement to cease surgery until contacted by The Mail on Sunday. A spokesman said it had a ‘duty as an employer’ not to name the surgeon. Crisis: Leeds hospital is already earmarked to lose its cardiac surgery unit . Last year, the Children’s Heart Federation said it had ‘major concerns’ about standards of care at Leeds, claiming some babies had been sent home to die and called for an investigation following feedback from parents. The safety of children’s heart surgery at Leeds was also raised two years ago with the Care Quality Commission health watchdog when a report found there had been 20 ‘excess’ or unexpected deaths over eight years to 2008. Hospital bosses stressed the new concerns were not related to mortality or morbidity figures or the row over transferring patients. But they admitted the consultant was already under an earlier restriction from carrying out certain procedures. In a statement, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said: ‘A surgeon in our paediatric cardiac team has agreed not to carry out operations until we have completed an assessment of aspects of his surgical practice. He has been subject to a specific restriction on his practice over a period of time and we review the position on a regular basis. ‘This professional review is being carried out within the trust. It is viewed as best practice and is part of running a safe service.’ Leeds is one of three children’s heart units to be closed after a review in the wake of the Bristol heart scandal in the Nineties in which 35 babies died and dozens more were left brain-damaged. It sparked a sea change in the way mortality rates in hospitals are monitored, especially in cardiac care. In recent months, a huge legal campaign, backed by publicity, has been mounted to keep heart surgery at Leeds following last year’s Safe and Sustainable NHS review, which recommended all surgery be transferred to better-equipped Newcastle. Leeds is one of three children's heart units to be closed after a review in the wake of the Bristol heart scandal in the nineties in which 35 babies died and dozens more were left brain-damaged . The campaign won the first round of a High Court judicial review, which found parts of the NHS consultation had been ‘flawed’. The NHS vowed to continue the closure plans, though another court hearing is due this week. Last night there were calls for operations at Leeds to be suspended to protect children from sub-standard surgery. One leading paediatric cardiologist said: ‘We don’t want another Bristol where all those children lost their lives. There should be decisive action as there was when there similar problems at Oxford in 2010. Then they just stopped doing surgery and it never resumed.’ A senior expert on children’s heart surgery last night said Leeds General Infirmary ‘ought to put the safety of children first’. He said: ‘When we were looking at the reorganisation of children’s heart surgery nationally, Leeds was bottom of the table. If there have been two incidents where surgeons have had stop performing certain operations, it would suggest there are serious issues that need addressing. 'Our number one priority has to be the children needing heart surgery. And they should be getting the best care possible, however far they have to travel to get it.’ The adviser, who worked for former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, said: ‘We have been trying to reorganise children’s heart surgery for four years and are still unable to implement our plans because of campaigns like the one in Leeds. Based on the inspection reports of the various centres, Leeds did not do very well. The case for keeping paediatric surgery at Leeds is an emotional one. ‘One can understand support for a local centre, where some children have done well, but overall, looking at the interests of all patients, Leeds does not meet the standard. ‘On clinical outcomes, they are misguided. What the campaigners have to think about is all results, not individual personal experiences.’ The reorganisation of paediatric heart surgery has been delayed for many years following publication of the Kennedy Report into the Bristol Heart Babies scandal. Although that report led to the raising of standards, the spread of services over 14 centres is thought to have resulted in children being at risk from surgeons inexperienced in certain types of surgery. Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS Medical Director, said five years ago it would be a ‘stain on the profession’ if paediatric heart surgery wasn’t reorganised.

One of four consultant surgeons from Leeds Children's Hospital cardiac unit agreed not to conduct further procedures . Hospital said it had a duty not to reveal the name of the surgeon .

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They are the strays that spend their lives on the streets in Gambia, with nobody to care for them. But thankfully this six-week-old puppy is given the care it needs after concerned passers-by spotted that it was riddled with parasites. In a disturbing video filmed by a charitable veterinary clinic, the distressed animal is seen whimpering as it has hundreds of worms squeezed from under its skin. The video was filmed by the organisation Animal Care Gambia after holidaymaker Dr. Michael Meyer, from Berlin, realised there were no facilities to look after them and set up a veterinary surgery in 2009. The puppy was brought it after a German ex-pat spotted it on the streets of Sukuta and realised it needed treatment. Mangoworm infestations, caused by the mango fly laying eggs and larvae growing under the skin of animals, is a key problem in Gambia. This young visitor in particular was lucky to be picked up by the caring vets, after becoming riddled with thousands of the maggots. Squeezing out the worms, measuring between 3-4mm in diameter, the vet films the procedure as the puppy whimpers in the background. The larvae of the parasite, known by its scientific name Cordylobia Anthropophaga, settle under the skin of hosts, both animal and human, and grow there until they can emerge and drop off. The young puppy is clearly in distress as the worms are squeezed from under its skin . Close-up from the video show the sizeable parasites emerging from the dog's wounds . With one woman counting in the background, the video shows 50 worms being squeezed from the distressed puppy's leg in the space of just a couple of minutes. The vet then moves on to release more worms from the puppy's stomach and other legs. The veterinary surgery told MailOnline: 'They are very common in Gambia, every dog and gets them sooner or later. The puppy is estimated to be six weeks old and was found on the streets of the Greater Banjul Area . 'Usually the infestation is not bad, adult dogs can stand up to 100 maggots without being seriously affected. You will see/feel a lump under the skin and have to squeeze it out once the maggot is 3-4mm in diameter. To squeeze before won't work as the maggot has spikes and holds on to its host.' The surgery spokesperson goes on to explain: 'They have to come out, that's the only way. Either when they are ready and fully developed by themselves, or by the owner/caretaker before that. 'The problem is that owner/caretaker often does not give a sh** or does not exist, we have a huge amount of dogs on the streets of the Gambia. That's my main work.' The vat can be heard explaining that removing parasites is one of the most common jobs he performs . The charitable veterinary surgery aims to educate and raise money to tackle issues in Gambia by uploading the videos to YouTube, where the surgeons and assistants have a loyal group of followers. Commenting under the video, which has had more than four million views, animal lovers worry about the outcome for the young dog. A user called Angel Isthyname wrote: 'Poor puppy I'm crying hearing his pain squeals.' Keenan Lee added: 'Really wish they had a follow up story on this puppy. Hope the little guy made it and found a good home.' The poor puppy is just one of many that is brought in to the surgery by concerned holidaymakers . And SimulatorWave wrote: 'Oh my gosh, that poor little dog. I'm so glad they took the time to help it.' Further video showing how the surgery deals with other animal issues can be viewed on YouTube and more information can be found at animalcaregambia.com . The veterinary charity explains on its website: 'We are a group of like minded people, concerned with the welfare of beach and street animals in The Gambia. 'We are based in The Greater Banjul Area of The Gambia which is the most densely populated area with many tourists visiting during the season – October to April.'

Six-week-old puppy brought in to clinic by worried German in Gambia . Dog can be heard whimpering as vet conducts painful procedure . Clinic set up by holidaymaker in 2009 to help stray animals in resorts . Vet explains that mangoworms are a common problem in stray animals .

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By . Jessica Jerreat . In the weeks after the Boston Marathon bombings, two small planes were used to spy on Khairullozhon Matanov, a friend of the brothers suspected of carrying out the attack. Residents in Quincy, Massachusetts, reported several sightings of two Cessna-type light aircraft doing loops over their town. A law enforcement source has now confirmed that the aircraft were part of a surveillance operation focusing on Matanov, who knew Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Under watch: Khairullozhon Matanov, a friend of the Boston bombers, was the focus of a year-long investigation . Surveillance: Light aircraft, similar to this Cessna pictured, were spotted looping over Matanov's hometown of Quincy for a month after the bombings . Matanov was charged last week with obstructing a terror investigation and deleting information from a computer. The 23-year-old was friends with the Tsarnaev brothers, who are believed to have carried out the attacks, and even dined with them hours hours after the April 15, 2013 bombings. The FBI had been investigating Matanov since April 19, after the Krygyzstan-born cab driver told police about their friendship. Quincy councilman Brian Palmucci said soon after, two planes were spotted doing figure-of-eight loops over the town. 'My phone was ringing off the hook. People were concerned. It started a couple of weeks after the bombing . and lasted for over a month,' Mr Palmucci told ABC News. Residents took down the tail numbers, and the police contacted the Federal Aviation Authority after reports of the drone-like aircraft. Arrest: Khairullozhon Matanov, second left, appeared in court on Friday on charges of obstructing a terror investigation . But the FAA told Mr Palmucci: 'It's not a drone, we're aware of the flight and it's authorized.' The . councilman said that secrecy surrounding the flights had made his . community - already on edge after the bombings - even more nervous. 'There was no doubt they were looking at . our neighborhood so folks were very uneasy and they started to question . whether there was some imminent public danger,' he said. A source close to the investigation into Matanov confirmed to the Patriot Ledger . that the aircraft were used as part of a surveillance operation into . the young man. Investigators kept him under surveillance for about a . year. Friend: Cab driver Matanov, pictured, knew the brothers suspected of carrying out the bombings, and took them out for dinner just hours after two devices were detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon . When Matanov appeared in court last week, he entered no plea to the charges against him, and was held in detention. He is facing charges of destroying records and making a false statement in a terrorism investigation. Matanov, who was given U.S. residency because of unrest in his home country, also allegedly met the Tsarnaev brothers and spoke to them in the days after the April 15 attack. He is not believed to have had prior knowledge of the attacks, and didn't know the brothers were suspects until after police released their pictures on April 18.

Residents reported seeing two planes for a month after the terror attack . Khairullozhon Matanov is charged with obstructing a terror investigation .

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Picture the scenario. Arsenal lose in Istanbul on Tuesday night - only to discover Anderlecht have beaten Borussia Dortmund. Would Arsene Wenger regret only bringing 11 first-teamers to Turkey with him then? That, of course, is the worst case scenario facing the Gunners manager as he prepares his side for their final Champions League group clash against Galatasaray. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arsene Wenger speak to the press after arriving in Istanbul on Monday . Wenger gives out instructions to his players during a training session at London Colney on Monday morning . There is logic behind the Frenchman's decision - but you wonder if the decision will come back to haunt him. It's true to say finishing top of Group D looks a far-fetched dream, but it looks a dream that Wenger has totally given up on. Which is strange given Wenger, a man who know his stats, understands the perils of finishing second in a Champions League group. Over the last 10 years under 29 per cent of teams that finished in the runners-up spot in their respective pool went on to progress to the next round of the knockout phase. That stat will sound awfully familiar to Wenger and his side. Having finished second in their group last season, they crashed out in the first knockout round against Bayern Munich. Twelve months earlier, they fell at the same hurdle, again to the German giants. Arsenal manager Wenger answers questions at a pre-match press conference in Istanbul on Monday . History repeated itself in 2011 when - having finished second in a group that included Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga and Partizan Belgrade - they lost to Barcelona in the last 16. Wenger, with that in mind, will be keeping his fingers crossed his side avoid one of Europe's superpowers in the next round of the tournament. The Frenchman has gone with the odds. To a point, it's understandable. But imagine how he'd feel if the unthinkable happens and Dortmund do suffer a shock defeat against Anderlecht. Arsenal players as they were knocked out of the Champions League last 16 by Bayern Munich last season . More importantly, imagine how the supporters will feel. Wenger will have a bench full of unproven youngsters to turn to should it emerge finishing top is on. 'Being top would be nice,' admitted Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. 'But is is not fully in our hands. We are here to win the game and that is what we will be trying to do. 'First of all, they (the youngsters who have travelled) are all boys who play for Arsenal Football Club, which warrants definite respect straight away. They all have quality. Oxlade-Chamberlain (left) runs as Arsenal hold a training session at London Colney on Monday morning . Aaron Ramsey (left) and Per Mertesacker (right) sit in a buggy steered by Arsenal physio Colin Lewin . 'For all young players, you have to start somewhere, and you have to be challenged at some point, the young lads who are in the squad if they have the chance that is their chance to prove their point and prove they are capable, . 'From what I have seen of them, they all have good quality, they are all good lads, up for it and prove to boss that they are good players. 'The boys that have been here before, the more experienced players in the team, it is their responsibility to help the young ones get through the game and cope with it. 'There will definitely be nerves, but the lads that have played for a long time still get nervous, that is normal for them to feel nervous. 'They have just got to go out there if they do play and do what they do week in week out that has got them to this position.' The vibes towards Wenger from a section of the club's supporters aren't great at the moment - the uncomfortable scenes at Stoke-on-Trent train station on Saturday, when the Frenchman was abused and heckled by his own fans, are testament to that. Wenger is heckled as he catches a train at Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday after the Premier League defeat . Arsenal players show their frustrations after conceding a third goal to Stoke at the Britannia Stadium . Should the unthinkable happen on Tuesday night then it could turn nasty again. Wenger knows the consequences should things turn out for the worse. He'll be labelled a fool if Anderlecht defeat Borussia Dortmund only for Arsenal not to keep their end of the bargain. However, what would Wenger be labelled as if Anderlecht didn't win and Santi Cazorla, Danny Welbeck, Kieran Gibbs or Alexis Sanchez - the four players who aren't carrying injuries but were told to stay in London - were to pick up an injury? Foolish, right? Particularly when your chances of finishing top of the group were minor. Lukas Podolski posted this picture on Instagram of he and Mertesacker on the flight to Istanbul on Monday . Danny Welbeck (centre) and Kieran Gibbs (right) take part in training on Monday but did not travel to Turkey . Wenger, in that sense, is between a rock and a hard place. Does he go for broke - or risk adding to his already lengthy injury list with the busy festive period upon us? In reality, the team Wenger will play on Tuesday (Szczesny; Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Bellerin; Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey; Campbell, Podolski; Sanogo) is more than capable of winning at Galatasaray. Their true crime was letting that three-goal lead slip against Anderlecht. So let's reserve judgement on Wenger's latest call until after Tuesday's clash. Head here to Like our Arsenal Facebook page.

Arsenal face Galatasaray in their final Champions League Group D match . Arsene Wenger's side must win if they are to have a chance of finishing top . The Gunners boss has only brought 11 first-team players to Istanbul . Santi Cazorla, Danny Welbeck, Kieran Gibbs and Alexis Sanchez have been told to stay in London . Borussia Dortmund take on Anderlecht in the other Group D clash .

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By . James Gordon . A Florida man who is accused of setting his dog on fire is in jail. Larry Wallace, 66, from Arcadia near Tampa was booked into the DeSoto County Jail on Monday. Wallace was apaprently surprised at his arrest and had owned the dog for less than a year. He now faces charges of arson and animal abuse, both felonies. Scroll down for video... Long recovery: A dog badly burned when its owner reportedly set it on fire is continuing her recovery at the BluePearl Veterinary specialty and emergency hospital in Tampa . Doctors are concerned about Hopes eyes. Her corneas nearly melted after being set on fire . Face of evil: Larry Wallace, 66, is accused of setting his Shar-Pei mix, Hope, on fire . Police say Wallace chained her to a shed and set her on fire. Police initially responded to Wallace's home on March 20th after reports that the dog had been set on fire. A child told investigators he saw Wallace throw water on the dog to stop the flames. Investigators said the dog's living area smelled of gasoline and Wallace was taken in for questioning, but he denied claims he started the fire, and was initially released. It is not clear what new details caused authorities to arrest Wallace on Monday. Veterinarians wrapped Hope in full-body, cow-print bandages on Tuesday . Hope showed signs of significant improvement as tender pink tissue crept back into her thick black fur coat . Hope has had six laser therapy treatments due to her injuries . His dog called Hope, has been recovering at Blue Pearl veterinary hospital in Tampa for the last month. The Shar-Pei mix puppy suffered severe scarring around her groin, burns in both corneas and lost a significant amount of weight and muscle. Half of her body was torched by third-degree burns. Vets have taken care to attempt to bring her back to health wrappiner her in full-body bandages. Doctors from BluePearl gave the dog an antiseptic wash Monday afternoon, which helped with the removal of dead skin and bad tissue. Hope has a a tremendous amount of dead skin and tissue removed and may have permanent eye damage . After months of medication and therapy, Hope is expected to make a full recovery . Hope, has been recovering at Blue Pearl veterinary hospital in Tampa since she was burned on March 20 . The Shar-Pei mix puppy suffered severe scarring around her groin, burns in both corneas and lost a significant amount of weight and muscle . In her first week at Blue Pearl, Hope got eye drops every hour around the clock due to concerns about both eyes rupturing . Hope is recovering from her severe burns at BluePearl Veterinary Partners . She was also given her sixth laser therapy treatment and remains in BluePearl's intensive care unit. The clinic also released a video showing the dog being cared for . It will take many months of medication and therapy, but Hope is expected to make a full recovery. When Hope was cruelly tortured, she had her corneas burned, they filled with fluid and began melting. She was given  eye drops every hour around the clock due to concerns about both eyes rupturing. Her vision is still foggy but should improve well enough for her to chase toys and squirrels. Anyone interested in donating to Hope's care can make donations to the nonprofit Hardee Animal Rescue Team via its website, hardeeanimalrescueteam.weebly.com. Hope, a one-year-old mixed breed, has made significant progress from just a few weeks ago when she looked like this. She has been recovering in the intensive care unit of a Tampa animal hospital . While she has some scarring, Hope has made strides in her vision . Hope may be able to go home to her local vet in Arcadia as soon as next week . The Arcadia Police Department and the Florida State Fire Marshal's Office have now caught the man responsible for Hope's injuries . Anyone interested in donating to Hope's care can make donations to the nonprofit Hardee Animal Rescue Team via its website .

Larry Wallace, 66, is now in jail after setting his dog on fire . He faces charges or arson and animal abuse . Dog, Hope, has had multiple skin grafts and is being cared for round-the-clock .

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(CNN) -- Four years ago a shock defeat by France sent a rugby-mad nation into mourning, but New Zealand's All Blacks erased some of that hurt with a comprehensive 37-17 vanquishing of their longtime bogey team on Saturday. Captain Richie McCaw looked a broken man after the 2007 World Cup quarterfinal defeat in Cardiff, but he was able to celebrate his 100th international appearance in style as the Kiwis lived up to their status as tournament favorites on home soil in Auckland and reached the quarterfinals. "We realized we had to take a step up this week," the flanker told the tournament website after victory against a nation who also ended New Zealand's 1999 World Cup hopes in the semifinals. "We had to absorb a fair bit early on and I was proud of the way the boys did that. When we got the opportunity we put the points on the board. The boys held their cool, and when we had a chance we took it. I'm very happy with the way things went." No. 8 Adam Thomson and wing Cory Jane scored inside the first 20 minutes, then fullback Israel Dagg dotted down either side of halftime to give New Zealand a 29-3 advantage. France, losing semifinalists in 2007, showed some steel with tries to Maxime Mermoz and replacement Francois Trinh-Duc but NZ substitute Sonny Bill Williams crossed late to seal victory. The bonus point gave the All Blacks a maximum 15 points from three Group A outings ahead of their final match against Canada on October 2. France's Les Bleus still have a five-point advantage over third-placed Tonga, who they meet the previous day. Marc Lievremont's team will likely play England in the last eight after Martin Johnson's men responded to stinging criticism from their coach to thrash Romania 67-3 earlier on Saturday and take control of Group B. Johnson, a World Cup winner as a player in 2003, was unhappy with unimpressive victories over Argentina and Georgia but this time his players delivered with 10 tries in Dunedin to seal a last-eight spot as one of the pool's top two teams. Wingers Mark Cueto and Chris Ashton both scored three tries against the under-strength Romanians, who face East European rivals Georgia in their final match. England close against "Auld Enemy" Scotland, who have struggled so far in the tournament and face a tough test against 2007 semifinalists Argentina on Sunday in a match that will have a big bearing on the group. "In some aspects of the game, we didn't really get tested," Johnson said. "Next week is going to be a different game. This was what it was and we did a job. Next week it really starts, because it will be a scrap."

New Zealand beat France 37-17 to reach Rugby World Cup quarterfinals . All Blacks have maximimum points after three of four Group A matches . Second-placed France likely to play England in the last eight of tournament . England thrash Romania 67-3, scoring 10 tries, to move clear at top of Group B .

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Alex Oxlade Chamberlain remains bullish about his chances of being fit for the World Cup, despite suffering a knee injury in England's draw with Ecuador on Wednesday. The Arsenal midfielder is expected to be sidelined for between 10 days and three weeks to leave boss Roy Hodgson with a difficult decision to make. Oxlade-Chamberlain has a slight strain in his medial ligaments and not a tear. It gives the 20-year-old – who was seen leaving the team hotel for training with his team mates in Miami, with a brace on his right knee. VIDEO: Scroll down for Sportsmail's Neil Ashton's England v Ecuador game report . Worry: Oxlade-Chamberlain was forced into an early exit against Ecuador after picking up a knee injury . Awkward: Ecuador midfielder Carlos Gruezo landed awkwardly on the knee of the midfielder . However, he has not given up hope of featuring in the World Cup. He tweeted: 'Gutted to have picked up an injury yesterday. I'm staying positive and getting to work with the medical team on recovery...Fingers crossed!' England’s first game is on Saturday week against Italy in Manaus but Hodgson must decide whether to gamble on the fitness of a player who has been beset by injuries this season. Concern: Roy Hodgson said it is too early to make a decision on what happens next with Oxlade-Chamberlain . Replacement? Michael Carrick is on the stand-by list for England . Exit: Oxlade-Chamberlain was seen on Wednesday leaving the Sun Life Stadium visibly upset . Despair: The England midfielder will hope his World Cup dream is not over . Blow: Oxlade-Chamberlain looks distraught after suffering an injury against Ecuador . In pain: England players look glum as they surround the hurt Arsenal midfielder . Hurt: Oxlade-Chamberlain will have a scan to check the full extent of the damage . Performed: The youngster put in a terrific performance in Miami before he was forced off . The official England Twitter feed posted: '@Alex_OxChambo sustained a medial knee ligament injury against Ecuador. The team medics are continuing to monitor and treat injury.' Oxlade-Chamberlain suffered a cruciate ligament injury at the start of the season and has been troubled by a groin injury during the final weeks of the season. The game against Ecuador in Miami was his first start for nearly two months but he has been able to complete all the intensive England fitness work since the squad assembled last month. He may lack match sharpness but looked in good touch during the 2-2 draw on Wednesday night. Hodgson may opt to take Oxlade-Chamberlain to Brazil and delay his final decision. The squad lists were lodged with FIFA earlier this week but teams are allowed to make changes if there is a new injury, up 24 hours before their first game. There is nothing to stop the England boss calling in a player who is not on the stand-by list but Hodgson may well turn to Jon Flanagan or John Stones because they have been with the squad for more than two weeks and have done all the acclimatisation training. There appear to be no plans to send him home at the moment. You're off: Raheem Sterling will miss the friendly against Honduras after he was sent off .

Arsenal star hopeful of making speedy recovery to play some part in Brazil . Scans reveal extent of midfielder's knee injury after taking a knock during England's 2-2 draw with Ecuador . Will certainly miss friendly with Honduras and first group match with Italy . May not return until well into the knockout stages if England qualify . Roy Hodgson must decide whether to call up Michael Carrick or Tom Cleverley from stand-by list . England say that 'team medics are continuing to monitor and treat injury'

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(CNN) -- Rescuers hoping to find two hikers missing on the frigid slopes of Oregon's Mount Hood faced worsening weather conditions Monday night as forecasters predicted white-out conditions that could severely hinder search efforts. "Starting tonight and through tomorrow, it's going to be windy, and white-out conditions are going to be highly likely," said Scott Weishaar of the National Weather Service. Up to 2 feet of snow is expected to fall Monday night into Tuesday at the elevation where rescuers are searching for any signs of Anthony Vietti, 24, and Katie Nolan, 29, who have been missing since early Friday. A third hiker who was with them, 26-year-old Luke Gullberg, was found dead Saturday. A state deputy medical examiner said Monday that the cause was hypothermia, CNN affiliate KGW reported. Rescue crews took advantage of a brief break in the weather Monday afternoon to search previously unreachable higher elevations of the mountain. "Unfortunately, we did not detect anything out of the ordinary as far as gear or people," searcher Monte Smith told reporters. "With increasing snowfall coming down, it's going to make everything that much harder." Weishaar said another series of storms Wednesday will dump another 10 inches to 18 inches of snow in the area, with temperatures in the low- to mid-20s. Snow was expected to start falling at 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET). "We only have today. We know we only have today," said Vietti's aunt, Teri Preiss. Rescuers said they were putting no time limit on their efforts, and would do all they could despite the grim forecast. "This remains a search and rescue mission," Clackamas County Detective Jim Strovink told an afternoon news conference. "We have two experienced climbers who were well-equipped. We have an obligation to continue on and that's what we're going to do. We owe that to the family and we owe that to the climbers." Search crews will meet Tuesday morning to assess weather conditions and determine how to proceed, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said after ending search efforts for the day Monday. Ground efforts have been severely hampered by avalanche conditions, which kept rescuers from accessing the parts of the mountain they wanted to reach early Monday morning. The avalanche threat also thwarted ground searches Sunday, authorities said. Searchers were also examining high-resolution photographs taken by aerial surveillance teams, hoping to find any sign of life. Capt. Chris Bernard of the U.S. Air Force 304th Rescue Squadron said infrared devices are being used as well. If the hikers have gone into a snow cave and have an air vent, the devices could pick up a heat signature, he said. When the three hikers set out at about 1 a.m. Friday (4 a.m. ET), they were planning a fairly easy, "semi-technical" hike in which they would come down the south side of the mountain, said Deputy Scott Meyers of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. Preiss said pictures show "it was a perfect climbing day, absolutely clear." The three hikers sent out a message in advance saying that conditions were "absolutely perfect" and that they would be back by late afternoon, she said. "These kids loved, loved climbing. All three of them. They climbed together often. They climbed hard mountains together before. And they did it successfully and well. And they were careful climbers," Preiss said. Dr. Christopher Young with the state medical examiner's office said Gullberg had suffered minor injuries -- cuts, scrapes and bruises -- apparently caused by a fall, KGW reported. Investigators believe the 26-year-old was able to move himself after falling an unknown distance. "Accidents can happen -- and it happened here," Preiss said, describing Gullberg as a "passionate young man" who was very well-prepared for all his hikes. David Vahey, a family friend of the Viettis, said, "We know that they, all three, loved hiking and they all three loved Jesus. And we just want to ask for prayer." The three hikers are from the Pacific Northwest. Vietti's home is Longview, Washington; Nolan's is Portland, Oregon. Gullberg was from Des Moines, Washington. Gullberg's MySpace page is filled with photos of him hiking in various places. A friend wrote Saturday on the page, "I love you dude and miss you." His grandmother, Marjorie Gullberg, said she will miss his smile. "He was just like my son. He did everything for me," CNN affiliate KPTV quoted her saying. Dennis Simons, a chaplain for the fire and police departments in the city of Sandy, Oregon, spent time with the families of all three on Sunday. "They're grieving and hoping. There are thousands of people around the world praying that Katie and Anthony will be found alive," he told reporters, holding back tears. The mountain rises 11,239 feet above sea level, with a vast base that stretches over 92 miles (148 km). It is the highest mountain in Oregon. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano with steam constantly spewing from holes, according to the Web site mthood.info. Gullberg's death is the latest of many accidents on Mount Hood, KPTV reported. The worst occurred in May 1986 when nine people, including seven students from Oregon Episcopal School, died after they dug a snow cave during a sudden storm.

"This remains a search and rescue mission," Clackamas County detective says . White-out conditions are expected, Weather Service says . Avalanche conditions hamper search on Oregon's Mount Hood for two hikers . Third climber found dead over weekend .

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An Islamic State propaganda magazine has lavished Sydney cafe gunman Man Haron Monis with praise for the siege, labelling the hostage crisis a 'daring raid'. It's also reissued a call for lone wolf attacks in Australia and taunted Western helplessness in the face of the threat. Monis and two of his hostages, Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, were killed in the bloody conclusion to the siege in the early hours of December 16. Scroll down for video . Gunman: Man Haron Monis was killed during the siege's violent conclusion in the early hours of December 16 . Gunned down: A spray of police bullets killed Man Haron Monis on December 16 . In the foreword to its sixth edition, the IS magazine Dabiq described Monis as a brother and said he was fighting in the path of Allah. He did so 'by acting alone and striking the kuffar (non-believers) where it would hurt them most - in their own lands and on the very streets that they presumptively walk in safety,' the magazine states. 'It didn't take much; he got hold of a gun and stormed a cafe taking everyone inside hostage. 'Yet in doing so, he prompted mass panic, brought terror to the entire nation ... The blessings in his efforts were apparent from the very outset.' At the start of the siege, a black flag with Arabic writing was visible in a window of the Lindt cafe in Sydney's Martin Place. Dabiq declared this was 'a testament to his sincerity'. Terror on the streets of Sydney: Lindt cafe worker Jieun Bae was the terrified face of the Sydney siege . It said Monis joined other Muslims who answered a jihadist call 'to strike those waging war against the Islamic State wherever they may be'. In October, Dabiq published calls for lone wolf attacks across western nations, especially US, UK, France, Australia and Germany. It repeated that statement in the latest edition. 'There will be others who follow the examples set by Man Haron Monis and Numan Haider in Australia,' it said. Melbourne teenager Haider was shot dead after stabbing two police officers. 'All that the West will be able to do is to anxiously await the next round of slaughter and then issue the same tired, cliche statements in condemnation of it when it occurs.' A week ago Prime Minister Tony Abbott warned there had been a heightened level of 'terrorist chatter' in the aftermath of the Sydney siege tragedy. However, Australia's terror threat level hasn't been lifted - remaining at high, which means an attack is likely.

The Islamic State's Dabiq propaganda magazine praised Man Haron Monis for 'daring' raid . Two hostages, Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, were killed, as was the gunman . It also reissued a call for lone wolf attacks in Australia .

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(CNN) -- Days after Russia and the United States reached a deal on getting Syria to give up its chemical weapons, world powers are quarreling over the details. The agreement, reached by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry over the weekend, calls for a U.N. resolution demanding that Syria turn over its chemical weapons to international control in a specific time frame. Russia won't support any resolution that would authorize the use of force against Syria if it doesn't comply, Lavrov said Tuesday. But the United States and France want to keep the threat of force on the table if Syria doesn't comply. Those allies say they are convinced that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime was behind a chemical weapons attack in opposition areas that, according to U.S. estimates, killed more than 1,400 people. Representatives of those three powers and the two other veto-wielding permanent Security Council members met behind closed doors at the United Nations on Tuesday to hammer out a draft resolution, a meeting a U.N. diplomat called "constructive." "For the first time there was a discussion of the actual text," said the diplomat, who didn't want to be named discussing ongoing private negotiations. "There are well-known different views on some of the elements, but we are trying to resolve those issues." The meetings were likely to resume Wednesday, the diplomat said. U.N. weapons inspectors reported Monday that an August 21 attack outside Damascus had been carried out using the nerve gas sarin. Tuesday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the findings should spur member states to bring the bloodshed in Syria to a halt, urging both Washington and Moscow to "demonstrate their leadership." "Let us be clear: the use of chemical weapons in Syria is only the tip of the iceberg," he said. "The suffering in Syria must end." Though the inspectors did not assign blame for the attack, a U.S. analysis of their report shows the Syrian regime was responsible for the August 21 massacre outside Damascus, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters in Washington. "Based on our preliminary review of information contained in the report, several crucial details confirm the Assad regime's guilt in carrying out this attack," she said. One of the munitions identified in the report, a 120-millimeter improvised rocket, has been linked to previous attacks by the al-Assad regime, and "we have no indications that the opposition has manufactured or used this style rocket." In addition, the environmental, chemical, and medical samples collected by U.N. investigators "provide clear and compelling evidence" that the rockets used in the attack contained sarin gas, a nerve agent, she said. "We know the regime possesses sarin; we have no evidence, however, that the opposition possesses sarin." She added that the United States reserves the right to take military action. Though diplomacy is the preferred option, "I don't want to predict what the end result will be," she said. Still, she was willing to predict that that end result would not include the status quo in Damascus. "We don't see a future for Assad, a future in Syria that includes Assad," she said. International inspections of Syria's declared chemical weapons storage sites are to begin next month and all chemical weapons are to be eliminated by June 30, 2014, she said. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius shared Psaki's view that the Syrian regime was responsible for the massacre. But, at the same news conference, Lavrov brushed aside a question about blame. He noted that the U.N. inspectors in Syria were not tasked with figuring out who was responsible and that that was not the point of the U.N. report. Russia has suggested Syrian rebels may have been behind the attack, though critics have said rebels did not have the means to unleash chemical weapons. A scathing report . Inspectors found "clear and convincing evidence" that the nerve agent sarin was delivered by surface-to-surface rockets "on a relatively large scale" in the August 21 attack on a Damascus suburb, Ban said Monday. "It is the most significant confirmed use of chemical weapons against civilians since Saddam Hussein used them in Halabja in 1988," Ban said, referring to the chemical attack against Kurds in northern Iraq that killed thousands, mostly civilians, "and the worst use of weapons of mass destruction in the 21st century," Ban said. "The international community has a responsibility to ensure that chemical weapons never re-emerge as an instrument of warfare." But on Tuesday, Ban said it was "for others to decide whether to pursue this matter further to determine responsibility and accountability." The diplomatic quarrel over just who may have been responsible for the chemical weapons attack came as the toll from conventional weapons continued to mount. The opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria reported that 70 people -- including four children and seven women -- were killed Tuesday nationwide. Syrian-Turkish border tension . A blast rocked the Syrian side of the Turkish-Syrian border Tuesday, Turkey's semiofficial Anatolian news agency reported. Video shot by activists showed torrents of black smoke emerging from blazing vehicles at the crossing as survivors tried to help victims. The LCC said the attack wounded many people. The explosion, which happened near a border gate, comes a day after Turkish planes shot down a Syrian helicopter crossing into Turkey. It came down on Syrian territory, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said. Syria's state news agency SANA said the helicopter was watching for "terrorists" crossing the border and erroneously strayed into Turkish airspace, but was on its way back across the border when shot down. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, Richard Allen Greene, Josh Levs, Aliza Kassim, Joe Sterling and Jennifer Deaton contributed to this report.

NEW: 70 die in latest violence, opposition says . U.N.'s Ban prods Washington and Moscow to "demonstrate their leadership" The United States and France want to keep the threat of force on the table . Russia says it wouldn't support any resolution authorizing force against the Syrian regime .

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(CNN) -- The plot may have been years in the making, but the killer gave just minutes' notice before he rained terror across a Southern California community. Now, shattered glass and flowers mark the path of horror created by a young man bent on getting his revenge for perceived slights and chronic problems with women. Six victims and the assailant are dead, and 13 people were wounded, authorities said. Three of the wounded are still being treated at at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, spokeswoman Maria Zate told CNN on Monday. Two are in good condition and one is in fair condition. In the three days since the rampage, a slew of new information has emerged about the victims, the suspect and what led up to the stabbings and shootings. Here's what we know: . The rampage started with his roommates . Authorities now know Elliot Rodger's killing spree across Isla Vista began before he even left home. The 22-year-old former Santa Barbara City College student fatally stabbed three young men in his own apartment -- George Chen, 19, Cheng Yuan Hong, 20, and Weihan Wang, 20. Chen and Hong were the attacker's roommates. A friend of Rodger's family said Rodger recently had a feud with his roommates, complaining to his landlord that his roommates were too noisy and played lots of video games. The assailant himself outlined his plan to kill two roommates in a 137-page manifesto he left behind. "I'd even enjoy stabbing them both to death while they slept," Rodger wrote. Inside the gunman's head: Rejection, jealousy and a vow to kill 'beautiful girls' The assailant had been seeing therapists . Rodger's history of mental health issues was no secret to his family, and the young man was seeing at least two therapists prior to his death. He had been seeing therapists on and off since he was 8, family friend Simon Astaire said. When he went to high school in Van Nuys, California, he met with a therapist "pretty much every day," Astaire said. Rodger's family contacted police after discovering social media posts about suicide and killing people, family spokesman and attorney Alan Shifman told reporters Saturday. Six policemen showed up at Rodger's home in Isla Vista on April 30, but they found nothing alarming. So they told Rodger to call his mother and they reassured her that he was OK, according to Astaire. Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told reporters Saturday that at the time, deputies "determined he did not meet the criteria for an involuntary hold." Brown said Rodger told deputies it was a misunderstanding and that he was not going to hurt anyone or himself. Rodger said he was having troubles with his social life. But long before that, Rodger was plotting his deadly "Day of Retribution." "I had the striking and devastating fear that someone had somehow discovered what I was planning to do, and reported me for it," Rodger wrote about the police visit, toward the end of his manifesto. "If that was the case, the police would have searched my room, found all of my guns and weapons, along with my writings about what I plan to do with them. "I would have been thrown in jail, denied of the chance to exact revenge on my enemies. I can't imagine a hell darker than that." Five revelations from the 'twisted world' of a 'kissless virgin' He sent his manifesto to two dozen people . Perhaps some of the most obvious clues as to why the rampage took place come from Rodger's manifesto, which chronicles his life from birth all the way to his planned "Day of Retribution." In "My Twisted World: The Story of Elliot Rodger," the writer said he bought his first handgun in 2012 in preparation for a possible "Day of Retribution." On Friday, minutes before he shot three young women in front of a sorority house and killed a young man at a nearby deli, Rodger e-mailed his writings to two dozen people, including his parents and at least one of his therapists. "My orchestration of the Day of Retribution is my attempt to do everything, in my power, to destroy everything I cannot have," Rodger wrote. "All of those beautiful girls I've desired so much in my life, but can never have because they despise and loathe me, I will destroy. All of those popular people who live hedonistic lives of pleasure, I will destroy, because they never accepted me as one of them. I will kill them all and make them suffer, just as they have made me suffer. It is only fair." One of the people he mentioned by name in the manifesto is Lucky Radley, a childhood friend, who he said became "an object of my extreme jealousy and hatred." "When I saw that, I was shocked," Radley told CNN's "New Day" on Monday. "I literally didn't believe that was coming from him." Radley said Rodger was an abnormally quiet boy who barely spoke, even when Radley went to Rodger's house a couple of times to play. He hadn't seen Rodger since high school. Seeing Rodger's video now, Radley told CNN, "That's the first time me hearing him say more than a one-word answer." Rodger's mother, Lichin, saw the e-mailed manifesto at 9:17 p.m. Friday. She went to Rodger's YouTube page and saw a disturbing video in which her son talked about "slaughtering" women at a sorority house at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Astaire said. His mother called 911 and Rodger's father, and the parents left Los Angeles, headed for Santa Barbara, the family friend said. En route, they heard there was a shooting. Later that night, they found out their son was the gunman. Killer's parents frantically searched for son . All the deceased victims were UCSB students . Chen, Hong and Wang, the three men fatally stabbed in Rodger's apartment, were students at the University of California, Santa Barbara -- as were the three other victims who didn't survive. UCSB canceled classes until Wednesday and declared Tuesday to be a day of mourning, with a memorial service set for Tuesday afternoon. Counselors are available on campus for anyone needing support, the university said. The two young women fatally shot outside the Alpha Phi sorority house -- Katherine Cooper, 22, and Veronika Weiss, 19 -- were members of the Delta Delta Delta sorority at UCSB. "Katie will be remembered for her generous spirit and warm heart. Veronika will be remembered for her vibrant personality and enthusiasm for life," Delta Delta Delta President Phyllis Durbin Grissom wrote. The sixth victim killed was Christopher Martinez, who was getting a sandwich at a deli when he was shot. The 20-year-old UCSB student was known for his selflessness. "Chris was just an amazing guy," Jeff Dolphin, Martinez's freshman-year roommate, told the Los Angeles Times. "If I was going through something, he was always there for me. If I needed something, he was there. If I needed a textbook, if I was locked out of the room because I forgot my key, he would stop playing basketball or doing what he was doing to unlock the door so I didn't have to get charged. He was just a great guy." Martinez's father, Richard Martinez, lambasted politicians and the National Rifle Association after his son's death. He told CNN's Kyung Lah that nothing has changed since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in 2012, when 20 children and six adults were killed. "Have we learned nothing? These will continue until somebody does something. Where the hell is the leadership?" Richard Martinez asked. "He's our only child. And he died on Friday. I'm 61 years old now. I'll never have another child. He's gone." Father of shooting victim chastises politicians, demands new gun laws . The community is trying to move forward . While some try to understand why the tragedy happened, others say it's a lost cause. "I don't need an explanation. It's, unfortunately, a very sad situation that no explanation can ever justify," said Ryan Booth, manager of the I.V. Deli Mart, where Martinez died. He said he refuses to read the killer's manifesto or watch his YouTube video, "Retribution." "As a community we have to be strong and stand up and try and move on." Who's the man behind the rampage . CNN's Todd Leopold, Chelsea J. Carter, Ashley Fantz, Joe Sutton and Steve Almasy contributed to this report.

NEW: Three of the injured are still at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital . Authorities identify the three men stabbed in Elliot Rodger's home before he left . Family friend: Rodger, 22, had been seeing therapists since he was 8 years old . He sent a 137-page manifesto to his parents and others before his shooting rampage .

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'All I know is we just don’t want them running around half-naked on our streets. That’s the bottom line,' said Mayor Phil Cagle . Standards - and pants - have been slipping in the Tennessee city of Pikeville, where the mayor has decided things have gotten as low as they can go. Mayor Phil Cagle is the author of an ordinance that will soon see anyone wearing their pants 'more than three inches below the top of the hips' fined for public indecency. Pikeville is just the latest place in the U.S. to take issue with where young men position their trousers. Scroll down for video . 'Injurious to health': Pikeville's ordinance bans saggy pants on the basis of indecency - and that it could harm wearers by causing them to adopt an 'improper gait' Two in Louisiana, Jefferson Davis and Terrebonne Parish have passed ordinances in recent months banning the public wearing of saggy pants with hefty fines for those who choose not to belt up, and others have followed suit in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi. So why all the palaver over pants? 'All I know is we just don’t want them running around half-naked on our streets,'  Cagle told the Times Free Press. 'That’s the bottom line.' The City Council of Pikesville unanimously approved the ordinance, which will require anyone guilty letting their pants hang 'more than three inches below the top of the hips (crest of the ilium)' to pay a fine of $25 for the first offense, and $50 for each offense thereafter. Unanimous: The ordinance was approved by all relevant Pikeville officials and states that anyone wearing their pants too low will incur a fine, says Mayor Phil Cagle . 'Myself and the City Council, we wanted an ordinance passed in black and white that our officers know what to tolerate and what not to tolerate,' Cagle told the Times Free Press. 'Now they know what we expect, and they know how to handle it.' Pikeville's ordinance purports to be for the health of its citizens. It states that 'there is evidence that indicates that wearing sagging pants is injurious to the health of the wearer as it causes improper gait.' The trend for wearing the pants very low on the hips may have originated in the U.S. prison system, where inmates are not allowed to wear belts. 'Unconstitutional': Civil liberties groups argue that banning people from wearing their pants low on their hips is a violation of their rights . The look was adopted by hip hop culture and by the 1990s, young men around the country were wearing their pants perilously low with underpants-clad buttocks on prominent display. Even the President addressed the trend in 2008: ‘Brothers should pull up their pants,' Obama said. ‘You are walking by your mother, your grandmother, your underwear is showing. What’s wrong with that? Come on. Some people might not want to see your underwear. I’m one of them.’ Civil Liberties groups have in the past argued that such bans are ‘unconstitutional’ under the 14th Amendment, which says no citizen should be deprived of ‘life, liberty or property’ and no person should be denied equal protection of the law.

Officials in Pikeville, Tennessee have voted unanimously for an ordinance banning saggy pants . Anyone wearing pants 'more than three inches below the top of the hips' will be fined for public indecency . Offenders will be fined $25 for the first offense and $50 for each thereafter . Pikeviille joins many other southern cities in outlawing the trend, which has its roots in hip hop culture . 'All I know is we just don’t want them running around half-naked on our streets. That’s the bottom line,' said Mayor Phil Cagle .

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For most, revisiting an old photo album is approached with a degree of apprehension and trepidation for fear of being mocked about a dodgy haircut or an outbreak of acne. Luckily for you, Sportsmail cares not and brings to you the duet of a young David Luiz and Angel di Maria from a 2007 sticker book... luckily both sans an unfortunate skin complexion. Almost unrecognisable without his trademark long, curly locks, David Luiz cuts a familiar cheeky grin alongside a timid looking Di Maria - now the world's most expensive defender and Britain's most expensive player respectively. Then-Benfica players David Luiz and Angel di Maria smile for the camera in a 2007 sticker album . David Luiz now plays for French champions Paris Saint Germain after a £50million move from Chelsea . Di Maria has scored three goals since joining Manchester United, but has been absent since November . Since their days in Portugal the pair have gone from strength to strength, becoming mega-money signings for two of Europe's biggest clubs - the former moving from Chelsea to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint Germain for £50million last summer. As his former Benfica team-mate made a move away from the Premier League, Di Maria swapped Real Madrid for Manchester United in the same transfer window in a £60million move. Despite a fantastic start to his Manchester United career, the Argentine suffered a hamstring injury in his side's 3-0 against Hull at the end of November. It was reported on Friday that the winger will also miss this weekend's derby clash with Liverpool.

David Luiz and Angel di Maria pose in Benfica shirts in 2007 sticker album . Brazil's David Luiz has since become the world's most expensive defender . Di Maria became Britain's dearest player in move to Manchester United .

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VAVUNIYA, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- After visiting a displacement camp in Sri Lanka on Saturday and flying over the site of the last battle in the country's recently ended civil war, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the sites "appalling." Internally displaced Sri Lankan watch through barbed wire during a visit by the U.N. secretary-general. "I have traveled around the world and visited similar places, but this is by far the most appalling scenes I have seen," Ban told CNN. "I sympathize fully with all of the displaced persons." Ban called for better humanitarian aid after interviewing some of the people regarding shortages of water and medicine. Ban toured Manik Farm, a sprawling camp for internally displaced people in the country's north, days after Sri Lanka declared victory in a 25-year civil war against the Tamil Tigers rebels. About 250,000 to 300,000 people are refugees in the country, according to humanitarian groups and U.N. figures. Some in the camp have experienced fierce fighting in recent months, saying they did not believe at points that they were going to survive. "I have seen the complete devastation here, and there must have been in the crossfire many civilian casualties. There simply must have been," Ban told CNN's Sara Sidner. The Sri Lankan government has said it doesn't believe many civilians were injured or killed in the fighting. While the war's end elicited celebrations in some parts of the country, humanitarian groups and the United Nations worry over those uprooted by the fighting. Ban arrived in the South Asian island nation Friday, saying he came to offer help and partnership. "I hope my visit today can help begin a process of national recovery, renewal and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans," Ban said in a written statement issued Friday. "That is why I am here." Ban met with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and asked that humanitarian organizations be given unrestricted access to provide more aid to the displaced. The president seemed open to the idea, Ban said. Ban said earlier he would urge the government to expedite the screening and processing of refugees and ensure that displaced camps have adequate supplies of food, medicine and water. CNN's Sara Sidner contributed to this story.

NEW: Ban Ki-moon says camp contains "the most appalling scenes I have seen" NEW: Ban asks president to grant unrestricted access to humanitarian agencies . About 250,000 to 300,000 people are refugees in the country, aid agencies say . Sri Lankan government has declared victory in the country's 25-year civil war .

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Britons are getting more sophisticated when it comes to their pies, with more diners choosing upmarket gourmet pastries for their traditional meat treat at mealtimes. Sales of posh pies are going up as premium pies produced by celebrity chefs such as Heston Blumenthal are boosting demand in the market, a study showed. Shoppers choosing to treat themselves at home instead of heading to the pub for a plate of the meat and mash combo have also pushed sales of posh pastries and pies. Pie makers with their creative combinations and ingenious ingredients have reversed the dip in pie demand . Although volume sales of chilled pies were down 1.5 per cent, pioneering pie makers with their creative combinations and ingenious ingredients, have succeeded in bucking the trend, trade magazine The Grocer reported. Their research showed brands that moved upmarket succeeded in reversing the overall downward dip in demand. The upturn in sales was not just applicable to pie players such as Higgidy and Pieminister as supermarket own-label products were wooing the premium pie fanbase as well. 'For proof, just look at such offerings as Heston from Waitrose Pork & Piccalilli Pie with pepper, ginger and mace; Tesco Finest Slow Cooked Scotch Steak Pie; Asda Bistro Ultimate Steak & Ale Pie or the Chicken, Bacon & Mushroom pie in the new top-tier M&S frozen foods range,' The Grocer said. Brands like Higgidy are taking the credit for the humble pie's push to the posher end of the spectrum . Charles Coleman, co-founder of branded and own-label supplier Deli Sante says that such products can hold their own against brands and even pub grub. He told the magazine: 'As the economy improves, people invest a bit more when they shop. Our products are similar to the fare you would find in a good pub.' But brands take the credit for beginning the humble pie's push to the posher end of the spectrum. Mark Campbell, managing director of Higgidy said: 'For many years the pie category had been "value engineered", quality and innovation had dropped, and the category haemorrhaged consumers. 'However, activity at the premium end has reinvigorated the category and started to bring consumers back.' Posh pies have also benefited from the recession as people have changed their eating habits, according to Ginster sales and marketing director Linda Evans. She told The Grocer: 'There is evidence that consumers, while cutting back on dining out, have been prepared to spend more money on treating themselves with meal solutions in the home.'

Recipes by celebrity chefs like Heston Blumenthal have boosted sales . Pie companies Higgidy and Pieminister's innovative recipes are popular . Shoppers choosing luxed-up supermarket versions of classic flavours .

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Says he and Bleakley were promised they would leave 'with their dignity intact' By . Paul Revoir and Andrea Magrath . Last updated at 4:35 PM on 20th November 2011 . It appears that yesterday's headlines revealing Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley's sudden axeing from Daybreak came as just as much a surprise to the hosts as it did to everybody else. First Bleakley, 32, wrote a sarcastic tweet, posting: 'What a lovely headline to wake up to.' And now her co-host Chiles, 44, has angrily lashed out at their ITV bosses saying he is 'angry, upset and acutely embarrassed'. Furious: Adrian Chiles has slammed his bosses at ITV for his sudden axeing from Daybreak . Speaking to the Sunday People newspaper, the presenter reveals that he and Bleakley were informed that their run on the breakfast show would end in the New Year but that 'we were assured we could go with our dignity intact.' 'That’s obviously not happened,' he told the paper. 'We were enjoying the show and we thought things were going well. We didn’t want to go.' Chiles was pictured looking grim as he watched the Bromwich Albion and Bolton Wanderers game yesterday at The Hawthorns in West Bromwich. 'What a nice surprise': Christine Bleakley tweeted about the news this morning . 'It was a bolt out of the blue and has come as a big blow to our careers that we’ve been dumped at this time,' Chiles added. 'Dark forces have leaked it for their own ends and I am mightily unhappy about it.' His equally miffed co-host Christine wrote on her Twitter page this morning: 'Morning, what a lovely headline to wake up to. My sarcasm comes across in this tweet I hope.' But the Northern Irish presenter, who is engaged to Chelsea footballer Frank Lampard, at least knows where her next pay cheque is coming from. She was confirmed to be replacing Holly Willoughby as co-host of Dancing on Ice. Sour mood: Chiles looked grim as he watched the Bromwich Albion and Bolton Wanderers game yesterday at The Hawthorns in West Bromwich . Bleakley followed her tweet up with: 'Aside from that, thank you so much for all your Dancing On Ice good luck messages. 'Holly is a legend and she's a tough act to try and follow so feeling really nervous but incredibly excited.' Bleakley and Chiles, who were heralded as the stars of morning TV when they defected from the BBC last year on £1million-a-year deals, are set to leave ‘within weeks’, it is understood. Their appearance on Daybreak has failed to capture the public’s imagination. Surpirse: It emerged this morning that Bleakley and Chiles are to leave Daybreak in a matter of weeks . The programme has struggled to get ratings beyond 700,000 viewers – fewer than its predecessor GMTV. The move comes after the show recently appointed a new editor and as channel bosses plan for a major revamp in the new year. It is understood that both Bleakley and Chiles have been told of the decision. Last night ITV refused to deny the claims that the pair would be leaving the show, which had a £15million launch last September. A senior source at the commercial broadcaster said: 'Do we want to be running a show where we are happy being No 2? No, we don’t.' Moving on: Christine will replace Holly Willoughby as co-host of Dancing on Ice while Adrian will continue to present ITV's football coverage . Daybreak gets about half the number of viewers as its rival, BBC Breakfast. Another source said: 'They ran out of time. The advertising numbers had fallen off a cliff because Adrian and Christine were such a turn-off. In today’s climate, that was unacceptable.' It is not known whether ITV will opt for big names or unknowns as replacement presenters. Axed: It is understood the presenting pair have been informed of the decision they would both be leaving the show . According to the report, Chiles, who is . also the broadcaster’s main presenter for its football coverage, had . accepted that he had been dropped from the show. But co-host Miss Bleakley, whose WAG lifestyle was said to have been a turn-off for viewers, is reportedly asking for it to be presented as if she is leaving for new projects. It is hoped a new role for Miss . Bleakley will give her a chance to reinvent herself and prove she is a . valuable member of ITV’s stable of talent. ITV . bosses have hired former BBC Breakfast editor David Kermode to be the . show’s new editor, and it is expected other staff will lose their jobs. Bleakley, seen here with footballer fiancee Frank Lampard, will replace Holly Willoughby as presenter of Dancing On Ice in January .

Says he and Bleakley were promised they would leave 'with their dignity intact'

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(CNN Student News) -- October 4, 2013 . As a partial government shutdown stretches on, CNN Student News examines another potential battle looming in Washington over the U.S. debt ceiling. We also explain a possible schedule shift for the 2022 World Cup, and we report on a jellyfish invasion at a nuclear power plant in Sweden. Plus, watch how a disabled student shocked his classmates by taking a stand for school spirit. On this page you will find today's show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, Maps pertaining to today's show, and a place for you to leave feedback. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. DAILY CURRICULUM . Click here for a printable version of the Daily Curriculum (PDF). Media Literacy Question of the Day: . Can media coverage of a partial government shutdown influence viewers' opinions of the federal government? If so, how? If not, why not? Weekly Newsquiz: The following questions relate to events that were covered this week on CNN Student News. Write your answers in the space provided. 1. What U.S. president delivered the "Gettysburg Address"? 2. What country is scheduled to host soccer's World Cup in 2022? 3. What is the name of the storm that is currently threatening the U.S. Gulf Coast? 4. What United Nations group unanimously approved a resolution concerning chemical weapons in Syria? 5. In what part of the body would you find the gastrocnemius muscle: arm, leg, or neck? 6. What empire, which began in 27 B.C., once covered parts of three continents? 7. What technology company is now the most valuable brand in the world? 8. What language is the origin of the English word "alligator"? 9. What kind of animal recently caused a shutdown in a Swedish nuclear power plant? 10. What U.S. state has the highest number of residents under age 18? CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists and educators who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show and curriculum. We hope you use our free daily materials along with the program, and we welcome your feedback on them. MAPS . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . North America . Gulf of Mexico . Asia . Qatar . Europe . Sweden . FEEDBACK . We're looking for your feedback about CNN Student News. Please use this page to leave us comments about today's program, including what you think about our stories and our resources. Also, feel free to tell us how you use them in your classroom. The educators on our staff will monitor this page and may respond to your comments as well. Thank you for using CNN Student News! Click here to submit your Roll Call request.

This page includes the show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, and Maps . Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . The Daily Curriculum's Newsquiz tests students' knowledge of events in the news . At the bottom of the page, please share your feedback about our show and curriculum .

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Walkers seeking the perfect place to enjoy a reflective moment need look no further. These gorgeous landscapes show off Britain's best beauty spots in twice their usual glory. Each magnificent panoramic vista has been photographed so its splendour is mirrored in a still lake beneath. Misty mountains: A panoramic view of a shimmering Loch Leven in Glencoe village near Fort William, Highland region of Scotland . Pure beauty: A lone building throws atmospheric shadows over a breathtaking vista at the wild Loch Leven . Caught in time: Black Mount Hills covered in brilliant white snow on a sunny winter's day and mirrored in a frozen Lochain . The images - taken by photographer Lee Frost over ten years - reveal breathtaking double visions of mountainous peaks, lush valleys and shimmering water. One atmospheric picture shows mist rolling in over Loch Leven near Glencoe village in the wild Scottish Highlands. Another shows the plunging V-shape of Loch Achtriochtan and its mirror image as it plummets towards the lake. The imposing Black Mountains are seen still . capped in snow on a sunny winter's day and reflected in the glittering frozen Lochain below. Still waters run deep: Dark rock sweeps down to a perfectly calm lake at Loch Achtriochtan, Glencoe . True blue: A spectacular early morning in Grasmere near Ambleside at Cumbria's Lake District . Awe-inspiring view: Loch Ba' rises up in the distance behind the rolling clouds over Rannoch Moor . The grand slope of Lochan na h-Achlaise glows in a soft light above the craggy Rannoch Moor, while a more gentle scene captures the blues of an early morning in Grasmere near Ambleside at Cumbria's Lake District. Once home to many of the Lakeland poets, the area has a rich history that is still honoured today by captivated artists, writers and craftspeople. So if you're not taking an overseas holiday this summer, don't despair. This dramatic scenery proves that our native surroundings can be just as impressive as the finest in the world. Mr Frost, 45, from Barnsley in South Yorkshire, has been travelling around the country since 2000 to take the pictures. 'I love the north but the Highlands of . Scotland represent the last wilderness in the UK,' he said. 'There’s . nowhere else left where you can literally disappear in the landscape and . see hardly a soul for days. Picturesque: A typically British autumnal scene across Loughrigg Tarn near Ambleside in the Lake District . Twice the fun: This amazing panoramic view of Loch Leven reveals detailed reflections of distant mountains including Pap of Glencoe and scudding clouds . Pretty as a painting: Reeds poke out of the still water at Lochan na h'Achlaise among Black Mount Hills of Rannoch Moor . 'The scale of the landscape is also awe-inspiring, while wild weather brings out the drama and character of the scenery. 'I’ve . explored and photographed the Highlands in all seasons and it remains a . constant source of inspiration – nature in its raw state.' Incredibly, many of the pictures were taken using the pre-digital technique of physical transparencies. Postcard view: A panoramic landscape picture taken at Ullwaters, in the Lake District . Snapshot of history: Alnwick Castle in the distance against shimmering water in Northumberland . Stunning scene: Loch Eil, in the Scottish Highlands glistens as the sun lights the waters . This means light passing through the camera lens struck chemicals contained in the film, leaving a transparent print. These transparencies were then digitally scanned so they could be stored and distributed electronically. 'Shooting transparency film definitely makes you more focused,' added Mr Frost. 'There’s little room for error and what you shoot in-camera is what you end up with. 'With digital you have the benefit of post-production.'

Pictures show Lake District and Scottish Highlands in double their usual glory . Captured on clear days by photographer Lee Frost over ten years .

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By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 04:49 EST, 21 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:41 EST, 21 October 2013 . Revellers caught using city centre streets as a public toilet have been ordered by police to pay up - or clean up. Armed with mops, buckets and disinfectant, police took to the Manchester streets this weekend to shame drunks who relieved themselves in the street. Drinkers spotted urinating in public were handed a warning letter by officers from Greater Manchester Police, before being given the choice of cleaning up their own mess or running the risk of an on-the-spot fine. On patrol: Revellers caught using Manchester city centre as a public toilet have been ordered by police armed with mops and buckets, including Police Constable Dave Willetts, to clean up their mess or face a fine . Although revellers cannot be fined for simply urinating in the street, GMP said that those who ‘kick off’ when challenged may find themselves having to pay up - £80 for drunk and disorderly or £50 for being drunk in public. The patrol - dubbed Operation Urination - caught four young men between 9pm and midnight. Among them were two football fans who had travelled from Ireland to see their beloved Manchester United play, only to be caught urinating in an alleyway across from the city's Deansgate Locks. The men, aged 22 and 27, were on the way to the Printworks complex of bars and restaurants, and said they simply couldn’t wait to use a toilet. Shamed: These two men were spotted by the police patrol, dubbed 'Operation Urination' urinating against walls near to Deansgate Locks, Manchester . Tough choice: Those caught relieving themselves by the police patrol are handed a letter before being given the option of cleaning up their mess or having to pay a fine . One, who works as an engineer in Ireland, said: 'I’ve had about 20 pints today so I was bursting. I thought it would be easiest just to nip down here, all guys do it.' However, Joan Davis, Labour councillor for the city centre, who accompanied police on the patrol, was not impressed by the excuses. She said: 'Not all guys do it. Many men will plan ahead so there is no need to urinate in the street, and you don’t see so many girls urinating in public. Somehow they manage to wait. 'Residents and business owners shouldn’t have to live with the smell and sight of urine. 'It’s unhygienic and unfair that they have to clean up other peoples’ mess.' One business owner with premises in Manchester's Northern Quarter said he faced a constant battle with urination - and even worse - outside the building. Scrub up well: These two revellers spotted urinating near Deansgate Locks chose to scrub the streets instead of running the risk of having to pay a hefty fine . He explained: 'Business is lost if clients come to the building and it looks and smells like a toilet. Bluntly, they will not return.' GMP will now continue to carry and hand out the letters on their regular patrols over the weekends leading up to the festive season. Although everybody stopped by police agreed to clean up their mess, not all were entirely repentant. A 21-year-old student from Baguley caught urinating in a corner of Castlefield said: 'If there were public toilets around here we wouldn’t have to do this. 'If I’m being honest I’d do this again if I didn’t think the police were watching. Although I wouldn’t ever do it outside someone’s house as that’s not fair.' Inspector Phil Spurgeon, who led the patrol, said that revellers often used the excuse of public toilet provision when challenged. He added: 'But in my experience most of those people have recently left premises with a toilet or are on their way to one. 'To put it bluntly, they should tie a knot in it.'

Greater Manchester Police shame revellers spotted relieving themselves . Patrol dubbed 'Operation Urination' are armed with mops and buckets . Drinkers given the option of cleaning up mess, or face a fine .

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(CNN) -- The first "cup" was used in hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important. That joke's been circulating on the Internet for years. And while it is funny, it's also an embarrassing observation about our past carelessness. But before we start congratulating ourselves about how "advanced" we are now, we should make note of this one little factoid: For much of the country, high school football practice started last month, and for much of the country, high school classes start next month. Given where our high schoolers rank globally in reading, math and science, that is essentially putting the cup before the helmet in the 21st century. Here again are the numbers: 14th out of 34 nations in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Again -- 25th in math. No wonder we keep saying we're No. 1; there's a chance many of us can't count much higher than that. Opinion: After Mars landing, is science cool again? I don't enjoy writing about how dumb our kids are. But the truth is we live locally and are competing for jobs globally. Once upon a time, our high school students could skate by and still secure a good paying job later. That's simply isn't the case today. Part of the reason why the unemployment rate is 8.3% is because many Americans don't have the technical skills necessary to fill some of the 3.5 million jobs that are available. And that's not me shooting from the hip or apologizing for President Barack Obama's economic policies. John Engler, a former Republican Michigan governor and president of Business Roundtable, wrote in a June op-ed for U.S. News & World Report that "even with more than 13 million Americans unemployed, the manufacturing sector cannot find people with the skills to take nearly 600,000 unfilled jobs, according to a study last fall by the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte." Jeff Weiner, CEO of Linkedin, a networking website with millions of resumes on its database, recently said that "at least one major driving factor (for the 3.5 million unfulfilled jobs) here is ... the pace with which technology and innovation is now accelerating. We are outstripping our ability to educate and train the existing work force." The first step Weiner prescribed to correct this problem: fixing our education system. And by fixing, I would start with our dogmatism. Studies as far back as 1906 have indicated that over summer vacation children forget significant portions of what they learned during the school year, and yet we keep using the same academic calendar that was instituted in the 19th century -- before schools were air-conditioned or teachers certified. That would be like us using leeches to cure diseases -- something else we used to do in the 19th century. And high school sports starting before high school classes literally screams misplaced priorities. Many parents as well as students are against year-round school, noting the lessons that can be learned during summer vacation. I'm fine with that rationale, but why can't the first sign of fall be classrooms opening instead of team practices? My son's first track meet is in less than two weeks away. His first day of school is after Labor Day. Something just seems wrong about that, especially in Michigan where 48% of the state's school districts did not make, what the U.S. Department of Education calls, "adequate yearly progress." Even worse, more than 82% of the state's students did not meet the ACT benchmark for college readiness. But hey, who's ready for some football? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.

LZ Granderson: High schools start sports practices before classes even begin . U.S. students lag behind many other countries in math, science and reading, he says . Unemployment high, yet population lacks education, skills to fill available jobs, he says . Granderson: Schools should be making academics, readiness for jobs a priority .

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By . Martin Robinson . A socialite's predominately pink mansion bought after she split from her tycoon husband following her 11-year affair with a plastic surgeon is on the market for £8.2million. Amanda Eliasch purchased the Cheyne Walk property from the 8th Earl of Cadogan in 2010 after she received a substantial chunk of her husband Johan's £400million fortune in her divorce settlement. Her Grade . II-listed mansion was built in . the 1760s in Chelsea, but its history goes back to the Tudor-era where . Henry VIII constructed a grand manor house for his sixth wife Catherine . Parr in 1536. Design: The dining room at Cheyne Walk, Chelsea,which Amanda Eliash . has refurbished and modernised the interiors - with pink a theme in many of the rooms . Bold: The Grade-II listed home, which has views of the Thames, boasts five bedrooms and a large garden in the centre of London . Split: Amanda Eliasch, pictured at her home in Cheyne Walk, which she bought after her divorce from husband Johan Eliasch. She has now put it on the market for £8.2million . Grand: The exterior of the house, which was bought by Amanda Eliasch from the Earl of Cadogan in 2010, and originally built in the 1760s . Particulars: The agent says the house has 'an immaculate interior design scheme that skillfully mixes contemporary pieces with the classic period features of the house' Reflective: The grand property has a large a long dressing room lined with wall to ceiling mirrors . Inside the mansion, with views over the . River Thames and Albert Bridge, she has created 'an immaculate interior . design scheme that skillfully mixes contemporary pieces with the classic . period features of the house', according to the estate agent now . selling it. Spread over five floors, the luxury home that for many years served as the London home of the Viscounts of Chelsea, has five bedrooms, three reception rooms, study and front entrance hall. It also has a 58ft private rear garden and front garden. A grand-daughter of the St Trinian’s film director Sidney Gilliat, Amanda Eliasch trained as an actress at Rada and has forged a recent career as a photographer. She caused controversy in 2001 when she staged an exhibition of her art called Peep, which featured explicit photographs of naked women. Residents close to the London gallery complained that children were viewing the images on the way to school. Her marriage ended after her ex-husband Johan, CEO and chairman of sports firm Head, revealed that he had received an anonymous letter detailing her intimate relationship with Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh, the French plastic surgeon and Botox specialist, who numbers Madonna and Elle Macpherson among his famous clients. Reception room: This sitting room is an example of the style of the house, modern furniture and design with original features . Spare room: This bedroom features a shell inspired bed, with a mirrored wall and more pink . The bathrooms: The buyer of the Cheyne Walk mansion will be able to enjoy life in these grand bathrooms . Cheyne Walk is a historic street in Chelsea. It was named after politician William Lord Cheyne - who owned the royal residence the manor of Chelsea - until 1712. Most of the houses were built in the 18th century. It has had numerous famous residents - including: . Keith Richards who lived at number 3.Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull lived at number 48.American born artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler, famous for his painting Whistler's Mother lived at numerous locations along the street. Suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst lived at number 120 after leaving university.American writer Henry James spent his last years at number 21.Actor and director Laurence Olivier and his then wife Jill Esmond lived there in the 1930s.George Best also lived along the exclusive street. Mr Eliasch, a close friend of Prince . Andrew and once an environmental adviser to Gordon Brown, said they were . being blackmailed and suggested Amanda do nothing about ending their . marriage. But the love triangle soon made headlines, after a business . associate of Dr Sebagh allegedly sold the story to a national newspaper. They divorced in 2007. Eliasch . has now asked Gary Hersham, the star of new BBC series 'Under Offer', . to sell the house for £8.2 million through his agency, Beauchamp . Estates. The house will . feature in the next episode, with Hersham describing the property as . 'glamorous, spacious and in a triple A location'. He said: 'This is one of the finest houses on the Chelsea embankment. 'With its outstanding Chelsea address and superb location overlooking the River Thames, the site has an illustrious history. 'It . has been a home to nobility dating back to King Henry VIII and has now . been modernised to provide a super-luxurious residence ideal for 21st . century living. 'It is one . of the finest Thameside homes in Chelsea and is perfect for someone . wanting to buy a trophy house of immense quality, provenance and luxury. 'In the show you see the triple AAA location, the glamorous interiors and the spacious rooms. 'What . you don't get to learn about is the history dating back to King Henry . VIII, its role as a home for nobility, and the Tudor vaults in the . basement. 'All these things combine to make it an exceptional luxury residence and one of the finest homes in Chelsea.' The original manor on the site had 17 principal bedroom suites, 20 reception rooms, a vast entrance hall and a large garden and orchard. Sleek: It features a modern, white long kitchen leading on to a sitting room and garden . Magical: The garden's plants and greenery can be traced back to Henry VIII's original gardens and Royal orchard on the site . It later served as the home of the Dukes of Hamilton until in 1742 it became the home of Sir Hans Sloane and housed his magnificent art collection, which afterwards formed the nucleus of the British Museum. However, it was demolished in 1748 and, between 1758 and 1765, the Cheyne Walk property was built along with its neighbours. The rear gardens of these houses are all that remains of the lush greenery which can be traced back to Henry VIII's original gardens and Royal orchard. Incredibly, the brick vaults on the lower ground floor are the remains of the original Tudor wine and ale vaults of King Henry VIII's Manor House. Exclusive: The house sits overlooking the River Thames in West London, and the magnificent Albert Bridge . Royal: This is the manor built by Henry VIII for his sixth wife Catherine Parr, which was later demolished in the 18th century .

Amanda Eliasch bought Cheyne Walk home from the 8th Earl of Cadogan in 2010 after divorce from Johan Eliasch . The Grade-II listed property sits on the Thames in Chelsea, and its rooms are nearly all filled with pink . It sits on the site of a palace Henry VIII built for his sixth wife Catherine Parr in 1536 . Under Offer: Estate Agents on the Job airs on Wednesday 16th April 2014 at 8pm on BBC Two .

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(CNN) -- Formula One's governing body has outlawed a technological development which would help teams improve the stability and aerodynamics of a car. The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) took the decision to ban reactive ride-height systems for the 2012 season, with teams such as Ferrari, Mercedes, Williams and Lotus thought to be developing their own versions of the innovation. F1's official website reported on Monday that the FIA informed the 12 teams of its decision to ban the technology -- which helps stop the car dipping closer to the track under the pressure of braking -- last week. Lotus' system first came to light at November's young driver test event, with the FIA initially approving the technology as it did not involve the direct input of the driver. "We have been investigating that type of system for a while," Williams' chief operations engineer Mark Gillan told the Flying Lap webcast. "It obviously has an impact on the aero platform of the car. Anything that gets the front ride height lower is beneficial from an aerodynamic perspective." Elsewhere, 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen drove an F1 car for the first time since 2009 at a private test event in Valencia, Spain on Monday. The Finn had his first taste of driving for the rebranded Lotus team, formerly Renault, in their 2010 car. Raikkonen won the drivers' championship with Ferrari five years ago, having also raced for the British marque McLaren and Switzerland-based Sauber. The 32-year-old raced in the World Rally Championship and NASCAR during his time away from F1. Raikkonen will take to the grid for the first time since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November 2009 when the 2012 season begins in Australia on March 18.

FIA bans technology which improves aerodynamics of Formula One cars . Reactive ride-height systems help cars stay low to the track when braking . Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen takes to the track for the first time since 2009 . The 2007 world champion tests the team's 2010 car at private event in Valencia .

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By . Mark Wilson For The Daily Mail . Rangers failed to persuade Dave King to underwrite the £4million share issue the club launched yesterday as they desperately attempt to combat their mounting financial crisis. The Ibrox board released a statement to the Stock Exchange which revealed an uptake from existing shareholders of at least £3m would be required for the issue to go ahead. It carried a stark warning that failure to reach that amount would mean Rangers being ‘unable to pay its creditors as they fall due and the future of the Company will be uncertain’. In that event, directors will ‘immediately have to seek emergency financing which may or may not be available’. No go: South African-based businessman Dave King ,pictured here at Ibrox, won't underwrite the shares issue . Ibrox sources have discounted the prospect of a second administration as a consequence, but football finance expert Neil Patey, of Ernst and Young, told Sportsmail that cannot be ruled out. Succeeding with the share issue would provide breathing space and Sportsmail understands an approach was made to King ahead of the launch. The South African-based businessman has previously stated a willingness to invest £30m into the club but is seeking significant boardroom influence in return. While he is not an existing shareholder eligible to buy into the new issue, King would have been able to play an underwriting role to plug any shortfall. Talks broke down, however, with the Castlemilk-born businessman seemingly unhappy at the terms and a lack on information. Back on the brink: If the shares issues fails to reach at least £3m then Rangers' future could be uncertain again . ‘We have spoken with Mr King but the content of our discussion shall remain private,’ a Rangers spokesman told Sportsmail yesterday while King himself was unavailable for comment. One City source did, however, confirm the nature of the talks and detailed why King had rejected the offer. ‘There was an approach to King but he pointed out the money wasn’t enough to cover the club’s short-term needs,’ said the source. ‘There was also dubiety about whether it would provide shares. It could still have proceeded but he wanted Rangers to provide access to the books, which was refused. That ended it.’ The issue has now been launched without an underwriter but Newcastle owner Mike Ashley could yet play a significant role. He remains keen to expand his stake while remaining beneath levels that govern dual ownership. Off-field distractions: Rangers manager Ally McCoist (left) attempts to focus on the playing side of the club . The need for income at Rangers has been increased by a drop in season-ticket sales from 36,000 to 23,000 and the requirement to repay £1.5m in loans received from shareholders George Letham and Sandy Easdale. They were due their money by close of business yesterday but that deadline has been extended until the end of the share-issue process on September 18. Failure to repay would see Letham and Easdale gain security over the Albion car park and Edmiston House facilities at Ibrox. The Stock Exchange statement revealed Rangers had just £1.54m of accessible cash at the end of June and made it clear the share issue was only a stop-gap measure. Success needed: Rangers will hope the Glasgow giants can gain promotion from the Scottish Championship . It said: ‘Assuming full subscription, the Company will require additional external funding in the latter half of the current financial year in order to meet working capital requirements as a result of the cyclical nature of its business. At the minimum level of subscription, additional working capital will be required towards the end of the current calendar year.’ It is thought the intention is to reach an AGM in October or November and gain shareholder approval for a wider issue that would be cornerstone of the aim to bring in between ‘£20m-£30m’ over the next three years. King could enter the fray at that point but the immediate future is the most pressing concern. Patey, who has followed the Rangers saga, believes the coming weeks will be vital. ‘I think this is probably the worst point since coming out of administration two years ago,’ he said. ‘There is obviously a clear, short-term cash shortfall. And therefore you can’t rule out a chain of events that leads to there not being enough funding there. ‘I don’t think that we are looking at administration just yet, but it is quite a stark financial situation they are in right now. There is a crucial period coming up. It is a very important two to three months.’

Financially troubled Scottish giants have attempted to raise around £4million with new shares being made available to existing shareholders . However Dave King has refused to underwrite any shortfall in the issue . The South African-based businessman has stated a willingness to invest £30m into Rangers but wants significant boardroom influence in return .

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(CNN) -- Life is good for Maria Sharapova right now. She's won two titles this year, added a new lucrative new sponsorship deal -- and has finally confessed to tennis' worst-kept secret, that she is dating young men's star Grigor Dimitrov. They were caught kissing in Madrid the day after he beat world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, and she playfully wrote on a television camera after her Friday quarterfinal win in the Spanish capital: "How did you catch us??" While the 21-year-old Dimitrov was unable to follow up his shock victory, Sharapova has cruised into the final of the women's tournament after beating former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic 6-4 6-3 on Saturday. "We're official. We've been seeing each other for a while," the world No. 2, who has been fending off questions about their relationship since January, told reporters after the 500th victory of her career. "You know, it's just news to us that someone took a picture of us now after this time. It's nice to have something in life that you're able to have for yourself, because so much of your lives are in the public eye." Sharapova has never before played in the final of the Madrid tournament, and faces a daunting task if she is to lift the trophy on Sunday. Her opponent is defending champion Serena Williams, who has the beaten Russian in their last 11 meetings -- including March's final in Miami, where the American came back from losing the opening set. "It's always tough against her," said Sharapova, who will reclaim the top ranking if she can win her 50th career WTA final. "I haven't had a win against her in a long time, but the great thing is I'm setting myself up in a position where I can try to change that around. "I thought I did really well against her in Miami for the first set and a half -- obviously that's not enough, but the goal is to keep that level for the whole match this time. "It's been a while since we played on a clay court, too, and every match is different -- a different tournament and a different environment. I'm looking forward to it." Williams won last year's event when it was held on blue clay -- an unpopular experiment that was later banned by the tennis authorities -- but she has not played in a final on red dirt since 2002. "I feel like this whole tournament I've only played clay-court players from my first round to now, and everyone was also smaller than me," the 31-year-old said after Saturday's 7-5 6-2 win over Italian seventh seed Sara Errani -- beaten by Sharapova in last season's French Open final. "So I think tomorrow will be a really good match -- a different game, more power obviously, but still a lot of the consistency. So I'm looking forward to it." World No. 1 Williams is seeking to become just the 10th player to win 50 WTA titles, in her 66th final. "Obviously I love being No. 1 -- in my heart I feel I'm No. 1. But I also love to win tournaments. So I think if I just win as many tournaments as I can, I'll be No. 1. Hopefully." In the men's tournament, Rafael Nadal cruised into Sunday's final with a 6-0 6-4 win over 113th-ranked compatriot Pablo Andujar. The Spaniard, who has now reached seven successive finals since his comeback from knee injury in February, will next face Swiss 15th seed Stanislas Wawrinka. Wawrinka, who beat Dimitrov in the third round, earned his place in the final with a 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory against world No. 6 Tomas Berdych in just under two hours. Nadal, who won the tournament in 2005 and 2010, is seeking a record-extending 23rd Masters-level title. He was also the runner-up in 2009 and 2011.

Maria Sharapova will play Serena Williams in Sunday's final of Madrid event . The winner will be world No. 1 when latest rankings are released next week . Sharapova admits that she is dating Bulgarian men's player Grigor Dimitrov . Rafael Nadal reaches his seventh successive final in the men's tournament .

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Chicago (CNN) -- Even in the best of times, running a charity isn't easy. Try doing it during a recession. "Individual giving has declined. Foundations, which give us funding, have lost money and can't give what they have in the past," said Jim LoBianco, executive director of StreetWise Inc., a Chicago nonprofit that assists men and women who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. "We're struggling." LoBianco's job got easier, however, once he met Judson Kinnucan. Kinnucan, 37, has made it his mission to collect donated goods in Chicago, sort through them and get them to charities in need. For LoBianco, help came in the form of free toiletries for the shelters that StreetWise works with. Now, every month, Kinnucan delivers about 200 pounds of donated shampoo, conditioner and lotion and about 1,000 rolls of toilet paper. During the three years they've worked together, LoBianco estimates, Kinnucan has brought them more than $20,000 worth of products -- for free. "Judson builds these relationships with donors, gets these products and then brings them to us," LoBianco said. "Having someone that is willing to do all the legwork is essentially saving an agency like us a full-time employee. I can't stress how invaluable he is." More than 200 charities across Chicago have benefited from Kinnucan's unique brand of assistance. Since 2009, he has collected 145,000 pounds of goods -- estimated to be worth more than $1 million -- through his nonprofit, Bin Donated. The idea is simple. He places 55-gallon bins across the city, in residential areas and businesses such as dental offices and hotels, where people can deposit reusable goods. Then, every weekend, he gathers the donated contents, sorts them with the help of volunteers and distributes the goods to local nonprofits that need them. "When people come up to a bin, I have signage that says exactly what's needed. ... I make sure everything is very focused," Kinnucan said. "I do my research and find out what they need and collect that, or find places that need what I have." Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2013 CNN Heroes . Russell Eiermann, director of housekeeping at Chicago's Drake Hotel, was always bothered by the half-empty toiletries the housekeepers had to throw away at the end of each guest's stay. He'd tried to find groups to come and pick up the items, but for various reasons, it had never worked out. Then he found Kinnucan. Now, Eiermann's staff collects the used amenities on their carts and puts them in Bin Donated barrels at the end of the day. When the bins are full, Kinnucan picks them up. "For (him) to actually take this and give it to somebody that needs this is a relief," Eiermann said. "It's nice knowing that my staff is supporting that and there's people getting to benefit from it instead of just tossing it away." Most charities don't mind receiving partially used goods. "It's not about aesthetics for our clients," LoBianco said. "Things may not look as pretty as they do if you go into a retail store and buy it over the counter. The fact is that those items, whether it's soap or shampoo or half a roll of toilet paper, (are) critical to the men and women that StreetWise serves." Kinnucan came up with the idea of Bin Donated when a friend was having a "clean out the closet" event. The friend asked Kinnucan whether he knew anyone who would pick up all the donations. He didn't, but he had an epiphany. He had recently left his job as a recruiter, where he had matched people with the right job. Maybe he could do something similar for charities. "I would be the middleman. Find the goods, pick them up and drop them off," he said. "I would be able to save time and money for these charities, and in turn, they could focus on what they do." Hygiene products, like those provided to StreetWise, make up the majority of Kinnucan's donations. But over the years, he has collected and distributed thousands of pounds of food as well as school supplies, toys and books. He is also known locally as the man who will accept any and all donations. When a sales company had 8,000 pencil sharpeners to contribute, Kinnucan brought them to charities that work with school-age children. One company donated 150 alarm clocks; Kinnucan gave them to a nonprofit that provides housing to people with mental illness. And when a local hotel was replacing 75 ice buckets and 55 coffee makers, Kinnucan parceled them out to various nonprofits in the area. "The idea behind a donation drive has been around for eons," Kinnucan said. "The difference is, I'm collecting for everybody." There's another benefit to Kinnucan's work: By delivering goods to those who need them, he's also keeping the items out of landfills. "For a lot of companies or individuals, it's easier to just throw it away -- out of sight, out of mind," he said. "So really, the concept behind Bin Donated is to reduce, reuse, recycle and get another opportunity to have someone to use that item, whatever it might be. "It's a win-win situation. We help the charities and the environment at the same time." After working full-time on the project for nearly two years, Kinnucan is now working as a recruiter again and keeping the organization going on weekends. Having sunk his entire savings and 401(k) into the nonprofit, he would love to take his idea national one day. "Listen, if I won the Lotto, I would do this bigger," he said. "But (right now) I can't, so I'm going to keep on helping the people of Chicago. "I get dirty and sweaty, and it's back-breaking work, but it's fun, and it makes me happy. I set out to make a difference, and that's what I'm doing." Want to get involved? Check out the Bin Donated website and see how to help.

Judson Kinnucan collects donated goods and gets them to charities in need . Whether it's hygiene products, food or school supplies, he wants nothing to go to waste . Many charities in Chicago lean on his efforts as they struggle for funding . Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2013 CNN Heroes .

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Reverend George Gebauer has described homosexuality as a 'medical issue' saying there was a hormone imbalance . A CHURCH of England vicar refused to christen a baby boy because his lesbian parents both wanted to be registered as his mother. Aimi Leggett, 25, and her civil partner Victoria, 22, had hoped to welcome  one-year-old Alfie into the church with a traditional christening. But Reverend George Gebauer told them it was ‘impossible’ for him to have two mothers – forcing his archdeacon to intervene and give permission for  the  service to go ahead. The 87-year-old from St Mary’s Church in Warsash, Hampshire – who says he ‘feels sorry’ for gay people because they are medically ‘imbalanced’ – refused to conduct the ceremony claiming it could be ‘illegal’ to proceed in the way they wanted. The couple stormed out of the meeting after the vicar suggested that one of  them should be listed as godmother instead because the baptism certificate only has space for one mother and one father. Alfie’s birth mother Aimi said: ‘There was no way one of us was going to be listed as the godparent. We are both Alfie’s mum. ‘Rev Gebauer sat there and told us no child could have parents of the same sex, no child could have two mothers. Civil partners Aimi and Victoria Leggett (pictured on their wedding day) stormed out of the church meeting . The couple wanted St Mary's Church to recognise them both as parents to one-year-old Alfie . ‘He did this for about ten or 15 minutes and was asking us why we want Alfie brought into the church.’ She added: ‘I’m baptised Church of  England and Victoria is a Catholic. We want him to be brought up [Christian] the same that we have been. ‘We were even saying to the Reverend: . “Do you want Alfie to be ashamed of his family?” He’s not gay, we are, . what we do is up to us.’ Full-time mother Aimi and law student . Victoria, who live in the nearby town of Fareham, had initially . organised the baptism with Rev Andy Norris – who has since moved away . from the church. Church: Rev Gebauer is among other clergy standing in for Rev Andy Norris, who has recently left his post as vicar at the Hampshire church . Retired vicars, including Rev Gebauer, are now officiating until a replacement can be found. The pair had chosen St Mary’s as Aimi . herself was baptised there and her parents married there. Rev Gebauer, . who has been a vicar for 40 years, claimed the couple’s sexuality was . not an issue and that he had been willing to baptise Alfie if they . agreed to record just one of them as mother. The vicar, who lives in a £350,000 . bungalow in the nearby village of Locks Heath, added: ‘They insisted . they both be registered as mum and refused to budge from their position. They will not give way and that can’t happen. Their sexuality has no . bearing on the issue. It was never discussed. The church baptism . register makes no provision for it. ‘We have bent over backwards to try . and accommodate this family. I believe it would be illegal for me to . register them both as mother. 'Impossible': Rev Gebauer said there was not the space in the Church of England register for two mothers . ‘The soul of the little boy is more important than anything else but we have a stalemate.’ Victoria said the couple, who both . wore white dresses on their wedding day in 2011, were upset and shocked . by their treatment. She added: ‘It’s so hard not to be put off by our . experience. ‘You get told “yes you can do it” and then that all changes and they completely disregard it. ‘You do not expect a little, frail, old man to say this.’ However, in a last minute u-turn the Archdeacon of the Meon, the Ven Gavin Collins, intervened in the row last night. He confirmed that the christening can go ahead without Rev Gebauer – with both women named as mother on the certificate. He said: ‘Having spoken to Aimi Leggett, I’m pleased to report that the baptism of Alfie will go ahead at St Mary’s Church. ‘We have addressed the legal issue. As I understand it, her partner Victoria has full legal co-parental . responsibility for Alfie. ‘We will therefore be able to enter their details on to the baptism register as mother and mother, as they would like.’ He added: ‘I’m pleased that this . issue has been resolved, and we are looking forward to welcoming Aimi, . Victoria and Alfie, as well as their friends and family.’ Aimi’s mother, Donna Leggett, 44, . said: ‘Somebody from the church phoned to say sorry and to say the . baptism can go ahead. It’s great news but it should never have got to . this stage in the first place.’

Aimi and Victoria Leggett wanted to be registered parents to Alfie, one . Biological mother Aimi also baptised in St Mary's Church in Hampshire . Vicar says baptism register only has space for mother and father . Rev George Gebauer said he 'feels sorry for' gay and lesbian people who 'produce too much hormone' and are 'unbalanced' Different vicar has now been found to perform ceremony .

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(CNN) -- Last Sunday, a group of us sat on the beach, watching the children play, when the talk turned, as it often does, to Pope Francis. "The Pope said the loveliest thing yesterday. My father in Porto Alegre called me to tell me about it," my Brazilian friend Bete told us. My Swiss friend Diego chimed in with another charming anecdote, and everyone remarked how warm and affectionate Francis is. I was pleased to hear all the comments, but not surprised, since it's been like that all year. Everyone is talking about him, all the time. In this first year of his papacy, Francis has stirred up hearts and minds, not only among his flock, but also among a wider culture that is generally inhospitable, if not downright antagonistic, to the teachings of the Church of Rome. He has sparked admiration and consternation, and most of all, he has inspired wide-flung interest and debate. It seems the voice of the vicar of Rome, even in this secularist age, has tremendous carrying power. People who long ago dismissed the church as a hidebound, irrelevant institution seem to be irresistibly drawn to the captivating Francis. I was stunned, recently, to have a very liberal acquaintance of mine, who happens to be Jewish, tell me we finally have a progressive pope. A priest reflects on Francis' first year . He used the word "we." To my acquaintance, "progressive" is high praise, as it describes a belief in the growing wisdom of mankind and the inevitable improvement of our culture, resulting in welcome human flourishing. It was clear to him that both he and Francis share the same desire, to see all people living more joyful, fulfilling lives. My friend's comment illustrated the peculiar power of Francis: that of presenting the central message of the church -- that God loves every man and woman passionately and desires their good -- in ways that those quite outside the influence of the church can recognize and warm to. Pope Francis has been at pains to explain what he is about, which he characterizes as a new chapter of evangelization for the church. His task is to find ways, and help the rest of the church find ways, to transmit the joy which so obviously fills him and sustains him. He calls it the joy of the gospel, which perhaps might be explained as the joy of knowing that we are truly loved, although all of us are completely undeserving of that kind of sacrificial devotion. He is the first one to declare himself a sinner, and undeserving, with an utterly disarming humility. He writes, in Evangelii Gaudium, "I dream of ... a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church's customs ... can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today's world rather than for her self-preservation." This is quite a statement. It seems he understands that too many Catholics today find themselves with a bunker mentality, hoping to "get by" without calling too much attention to themselves. They feel beleaguered by those who no longer have the philosophical and religious education that would enable them to understand social doctrine, especially sexual, as anything other than stuffy nonsense that has outlived its usefulness. The church has found itself, understandably, in a defensive posture. It has been greatly exacerbated recently by a new tendency in modern culture to decry an adherence to age-old, universal attitudes toward marriage and sexuality as intolerance and bigotry. But that defensive posture, Francis seems to say, is not courageous and outward-looking, and not worthy of those who have been charged with the sacred mission of spreading the good news. Of course, there are many who hope that he will repudiate some of those social teachings, and thereby change the character of the church itself. Again and again he is asked why he doesn't emphasize those difficult matters, like abortion and marriage. He didn't mention them in Brazil, during World Youth Day. He explained then: "The Church has already expressed herself perfectly on this. ... It wasn't necessary to talk about that, but about the positive things that open the way to youngsters." When pressed for his personal position, he answered with direct and perfect simplicity: "That of the Church. I am a Child of the Church!" Francis wants Catholics, bravely, out of their bunkers. He is telling them that there is tremendous power in the knowledge that believers carry within them. The joy of the gospel, as Francis sees it, is capable of setting us free from sorrow, loneliness and inner emptiness. Aren't those exactly the torments that plague modern people, satiated with material goods like never before but atomized and radically alone? It would be criminal for Catholics to hide it away because they are fearful of criticism or just lazy and unmotivated. The Pope tells us to put joy into action, in service to the poor, love of the sick, going out to meet our brothers and sisters at the crossroads and bringing them home. He personally and infectiously shows us exactly how it's done. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie.

Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie says everyone is talking about Pope Francis, all the time . He has stirred hearts and minds of Catholics and non-Catholics, she says . People are saying that "we" finally have a progressive pope . She says Pope Francis wants Catholics, bravely, out of their bunkers .

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(CNN) -- Thousands remained without power Saturday in the metro Detroit area after powerful thunderstorms the previous night that left one man dead and frightened others in its path. The man was killed in the Detroit suburb of Warren after being electrocuted by a fallen power line in his backyard, according to CNN affiliate WDIV-TV. The victim did not realize the wire was down, the TV station said. DTE Energy reported 230,000 customers without electricity as of 9 p.m. Saturday, down from 385,000 at the height of the outage. Others attending church festivals around the region got a scare when high winds caused tents to collapse, WDIV reported. Larry Tomenello recalled people yelling as strong winds literally picked up a massive tent over the St. Hubert's Parish Festival in Harrison Township, prompting a frenetic push to get everyone out before 100-pound beams came crashing down. The Rev. Paul Ballien described a similar situation at his church in Dearborn Heights. "The tent ... just collapsed over on one side," Ballien told WDIV. "And I know there were people under there, and I just couldn't do anything about it." DTE Energy said wind gusts as high as 75 mph downed more than 2,000 power lines across southeastern Michigan. More than 600 personnel from as far away as Tennessee, Wisconsin and New York worked 16-hour shifts alongside tree-trimming crews to bring back service, according to the utility. "The vast majority of customers will have their power restored by late Monday night, but ... some small clusters of customers .... probably will not be restored until Tuesday or Wednesday," DTE Energy said. At least the weather cooperated in one respect Saturday in Michigan: Conditions were comfortable, with temperatures peaking in the mid-70s and relatively light winds. The same storm system that caused the extensive power outages in Michigan moved through the Northeast on Saturday. Areas from eastern Pennsylvania all the way north to Maine could see powerful winds and large hail, said CNN meteorologist Todd Borek. The National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm watches and warnings from northern Virginia up the East Coast, including Philadelphia, New York and Boston. There's also a small chance for an isolated tornado, Borek said, but hail and damaging winds are the main threat. Hundreds dead in flooding across Asia . CNN's Carma Hassan contributed to this report.

Tents collapse during church festivals in Michigan . More than 600 workers from several states try to restore power, utility says . Man in Detroit suburb electrocuted in backyard by downed power line . DTE Energy said 75-mph winds knocked downed 2,000 power lines in southeastern Michigan .

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By . Paul Donnelley . For many immigrants becoming a naturalised American citizen is a memorable day. And age does not dim the excitement as Braulia Fabian proved yesterday. Mrs Fabian who took her oath of allegiance to the United States of America on Tuesday is a remarkable 101-years-old. I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic: Mrs Fabian takes of the oath of allegiance . God bless the United States of America: Mrs Fabian waves Old Glory and holds her citizenship certificate . Oh say can you see: Amancio Fabian, 62, assists his mother Braulia Fabian, 101, in signing her citizenship certificate after she took the oath of allegiance to the United States . Born in the Dominican Republic on March 26, 1912, she became a permanent U.S. resident in 1990 and lives with a son in the Bronx, New York. She was sworn in during a private ceremony by US Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS). Mrs Fabian who celebrates her 102nd birthday next week has 12 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren. America's newest citizen: Braulia Fabian took the oath of allegiance at the age of 101 .

Braulia Fabia took the oath of allegiance in her Bronx home . Celebrates her 102nd birthday next Wednesday . Was given permanent residency in 1990 and lives with her son .

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